Philippines gaming regulator PAGCOR says it has cut the number of platform providers offering services to online gaming operators to “a little under 200” under its Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) scheme.
Speaking to reporters in Manila this week, PAGCOR boss Andrea Domingo said the figure represented a huge reduction compared with almost 30,000 illegal operations that had previously flouted the nation’s online gaming regulations.
“We are serious about implementing President Duterte’s directive to stamp out illegal online gambling,” Domingo said, according to the Inquirer. “We will not stop under they are eradicated.”
Her comments came as the government unveiled a new inter-agency council aimed at combatting illegal online gambling activities in the Philippines, with PAGCOR set to work more closely with the Philippines National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and the Office of Cybercrime.
PAGCOR recently revealed that POGO had contributed revenue of Php7.365 billion (US$139.3 million) in 2018 – almost double the amount contributed in the previous year.