Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUN 2020年6月 亞博匯 49 專欄 A POGO hub in Clark. 克拉克市的一間POGO中心。 have been, and continue to be, held under serious scrutiny, as these operations and some of their side effects have ballooned in certain areas of the Philippines. The negatives have included, but are not limited to, immigration issues, significant impacts on the residential and commercial real estate markets, and impacts on other government agencies including the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Central Bank and the BIR. PAGCOR, in the middle of May, began its campaign to educate the general public on the regulatory structure of POGOs. This includes some of the basics, such as specifying which individuals are allowed to play POGOs, along with some of the key aspects of the service providers that help support the operations as well as the operators themselves. It also discusses the challenges that have surrounded these online operators including money laundering, prostitution rings, human trafficking, criminal activities and whether or not they serve as a front for a spy network. However, the campaign also highlights the job creation and increased revenues in spite of the influx of foreign – largely Chinese – workers. The reforms of POGOs have continued most recently into May with a crackdown on NOGOs (Non- registered Offshore Gaming Operators) by a task force of government agencies. The goal is to eliminate those groups that are illegally operating facilities within the country and end illegal online gaming. The recent arrests of 265 Chinese nationals in Las Piñas City and operations in Makati City and elsewhere are likely the start of these procedures to