POGO ban: Over 22K workers left, 3K deported, 8K set to leave

Over 22,000 foreign workers from the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry had left the Philippines by the end of 2024, according to a Bureau of Immigration (BI) official who testified before a Senate panel on Thursday.

As of Saturday, February 15, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) reported that out of the 11,000 remaining foreign POGO workers in the country, 3,000 have been deported and 8,000 are set to be sent back.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) reported that all internet gaming licenses and authorized providers have been canceled as of January 1, 2025, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision to ban POGOs.

Villanueva, Pagcor's Senior Vice President for Security and Monitoring Cluster, said some remaining POGO operations are now running in secrecy or 'guerrilla' mode, leading to numerous complaints from concerned citizens.

Pagcor has reported about 276 illegal websites related to POGOs, but only 136 have been blocked so far, highlighting ongoing challenges in enforcement efforts.