Philippine Gambling News
Philippine authorities said on Friday they arrested 342 Chinese workers in a raid on an unlicensed gambling operation, part of a crackdown on illegal migration and an illicit gaming industry that. Latest Casino and Gambling News, Tribal Gaming, Casino proposals, Casino News, Gaming Industry News, Casino project updates, Licenses, Fines, Lawsuits & Litigation, North Carolina In the United States and a federal judge has reportedly agreed to expedite a lawsuit the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian. Article list related to online-gambling. Probe on PAGCOR's alleged lobbying for POGO resumption sought. Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News Posted at May 08 05:49 PM. Two senators on Thursday urged the Senate to investigate allegations that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has been lobbying for the resumption of Chinese-run online gambling hubs despite warnings that it could.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police have arrested 90 Chinese for allegedly running an online gambling hub without permits and for violating quarantine restrictions, officials said Sunday.
Police made the mass arrests Friday after spotting some of the suspects converging closely without face masks outside a rented apartment in violation of quarantine restrictions, in Cavite province south of Manila. The suspects ran into the apartment, where police discovered the gambling operation, officials said.
Two Malaysians were also arrested, police said.
A police statement said 48 of the suspects “were working on an online game while the rest were gathering and loitering without face masks, smoking, and socializing with each other disregarding social distancing guidelines.”
Police seized 53 laptops, more than 100 cellphones and cash. The suspects could not show passports and work and business permits, and face criminal complaints, police said.
Large numbers of Chinese have entered the Philippines, many illegally with the help of syndicates, in recent years to work for online gambling outfits. The lucrative business caters to customers in China, where gambling is prohibited. Chinese operators shifted to the Philippines after facing a crackdown in Cambodia.
Legitimate Chinese gambling business has been a source of huge revenue for the government-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, which has allowed it to thrive despite opposition from legislators and Roman Catholic Church leaders.
Underground gambling has fostered corruption and crimes, including kidnappings and abuse involving Chinese suspects and victims.
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) is the official designation for firms operating in the Philippines which offer online gambling services to markets outside the Philippines.
Background[edit]
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs are online gambling firms that operate in the Philippines but cater to customers outside the country. To operate legally they must be licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). They are obliged to restrict any individual in the Philippines regardless of citizenship, Filipino citizens regardless of location, and potential patrons in countries and territories where offshore gambling is illegal from availing their services; failure to do so risks license revocation.[1]
PAGCOR started the processing of license applications for POGOs in 2016 after it decided not to renew the license of local online gambling firm PhilWeb in an effort to boost its revenue.[2]
There are three license categories. Category 1 involves services that have live streaming with women online gambling dealers. Category 2 and 3 are sub-sectors of business process outsourcing (BPO) which provide back office support.[3]
However, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), an umbrella industry group of BPOs, do not consider POGOs in general as BPOs. IBPAP's members are registered with either the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or the Board of Investments while POGOs get their license to operate from PAGCOR, a fact the group argues differentiate POGOs from BPOs.[4]
Philippine Casino News
Prevalence[edit]
There are 56 PAGCOR-licensed POGOs as of June 9, 2019. It is estimated that at least 30 firms are operating in the Philippines illegally. KMC Savills Inc. projects that POGOs have utilized at least 800,000 square meters (8,600,000 sq ft) of office space.[1] While a significant portion of the Philippine offshore gambling industry cater to the Chinese, some serve the Korean and Vietnamese markets.[5]
Employment[edit]
There are 138,000 foreigners employed by POGOs as of May 2019, with 83,760 of them holders of special work permits allowing them to stay in the country for at most six months. Only 17 percent of those employed in POGOs are Filipino nationals.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abIchimura, Anri (19 July 2019). 'Are We Playing Our Cards Right? Breaking Down Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators'. Esquire. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^'PAGCOR now processing offshore gaming licenses'. GMA News. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^Gonzales, Iris (7 November 2017). 'Is POGO good for the country?'. Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^'POGOs are not BPO firms, industry group says'. CNN Philippines. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^Gonzales, Iris (29 August 2019). 'Inside a Philippine offshore gaming company'. Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^Yee, Jovic (2 May 2019). 'Foreigners can get work permits only in 15 job categories'. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 5 September 2019.