Pagcor: POGO not linked to illegal online games

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has defended anew the legitimate operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), saying the industry is not linked to illegal online gambling.

Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco issued the statement following the recent arrests of Chinese citizens and other foreigners allegedly involved in illegal online games.

“The agency emphasizes that any person, group or entity that operates online gambling without approval from Pagcor should not be categorized as POGO,” Tengco said.

He said POGO operations are being monitored by the agency.

“Any gaming entity that fails to pass the application process for an offshore gaming license cannot be labeled as POGO,” Tengco said.

To date, the state-run gaming firm has 34 approved POGO operators, 127 accredited service providers and five special classes of business process outsourcing.