The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has warned against fraudulent messages and letters claiming that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) will reopen. PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco denied these claims as false and urged the public to remain cautious.
“It has come to our attention that some people are enticing potential investors into paying huge amounts for supposed limited slots of POGO licenses, and saying POGOs will be supposedly operating directly under PAGCOR,” Tengco said in a statement.
He clarified that “there is absolutely no truth to this,” adding, “POGOs remain banned, and there are no plans to bring them back, now or in the foreseeable future,” he added.
Tengco advised anyone receiving such messages or letters to report them immediately to PAGCOR, the police, or other law enforcement agencies. He warned that these fraudulent schemes are demanding up to PHP50 million (€831,606) from would-be investors, supposedly for attorney’s fees, consultation, and assessment costs for securing a POGO slot.
“Should you get any text message or letter informing you that you can avail of a POGO slot, please report them immediately to PAGCOR or to the police and other law enforcement agencies because these are scammers who need to be stopped,” he said. “We reiterate: POGOs will not reopen during the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and PAGCOR is not entertaining, and will not entertain, any applications.”
Last week, analysts said that the Philippines’ decision to ban POGOs is crucial in strengthening its anti-money laundering (AML) framework. However, concerns remain that former POGO operators may shift to other illegal activities, such as running scam centres, which could undermine the country’s efforts to exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
The Philippines was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2021 due to weaknesses in its AML and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) measures, particularly in the casino sector. Since then, authorities have closed at least 80 percent of the estimated 400 POGO hubs, with the nationwide shutdown completed in December 2024.
Despite this progress, analysts warn that Manila must remain vigilant in addressing financial crimes. The FATF has also urged stricter oversight of casino junkets, non-financial businesses, and beneficial ownership data. The Southeast Asian country has shown progress in implementing an 18-point action plan and is set for a FATF review in February 2025.
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