The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is considering proposing the gradual phaseout of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country following intensified calls to ban them due to illegal activities linked to the industry.

PAOCC spokesperson Dr. Winston Casio said this as Philippine law enforcement agencies' raid on several POGO hubs led to the arrest of some suspects, including Chinese nationals.

In a news forum on Saturday, July 6, Casio said the government should first try phasing out POGOs gradually before going for a total ban.  

“So, siguro (perhaps) before we direct ourselves to a discussion on a total ban, we could probably revisit discussions of a phaseout,” he said.

Casio stressed the phaseout, if ever implemented, would pave the way for POGOs’ elimination in the Philippines.

“A gradual phasing out maybe, a transitional mechanism that would lead to the total eradication of these scam farms,” he explained.

According to Casio, only 42 POGOs operate legally in the Philippines, 41 of which are in Metro Manila while the other is in Kawit, Cavite.

On the other hand, 298 POGO licenses from different parts of the country were canceled by the government for illegally operating. However, some of them still operate underground.

“So kung mayroon ka sa (If there are POGOs operating in) Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol all the way to Mindanao and Central Visayas, ibig sabihin lahat iyon (it means all of them are) illegal,” Casio said.

“A good number of those 298 are still operating. What does that mean? That even if you totally banned them, you don’t necessarily take them out of the picture,” he added.