Hontiveros urges Marcos admin to ban online casinos

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday has called on the Marcos administration to suspend all online casinos following reports that former workers of banned Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are working in newly established internet gambling firms. 

Despite the efforts to shut down POGOs through Executive Order No. 74, which targets a full closure by December 2024, approximately 11,000 foreign nationals still remain in the country.

“While law enforcement operations were being carried out continuously, obviously these are not enough,” she said at the Kapihan sa Senado news forum.

Hontiveros, who initiated the inquiry into POGO-related crimes, expressed that the executive order is insufficient to fully stop these illegal operations, especially as many POGO activities have shifted to smaller operations. 

“We are not ruling out the strong possibility that they are already expanding or moving beyond the metro to extend their operations,” she said.

In recent raids, authorities have apprehended over 500 foreign nationals involved in illegal POGO activities, with 98 deported to China. 

Hontiveros added that this should serve as a wake-up call to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to remain vigilant in preventing these operations from infiltrating licensed casinos.