Philippines-listed DigiPlus states it remains unaffected by the POGO ban

DigiPlus Interactive Corp Unfazed by Offshore Gaming Ban in the Philippines

DigiPlus Interactive Corp, a Philippine holding company with investments in gaming and leisure businesses such as digital bingo and a digital sportsbook platform, has announced that its operations will remain unaffected by the newly declared ban on offshore online gaming operators in the country.

During his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a ban on the previously known Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

The President instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) to “wind down and cease the operations” of POGOs – now referred to as “Internet Gaming Licensees” (IGLs) – “by the end of the year.”

Pagcor commented on Tuesday that the ban would “have a minimal impact on the Philippine gaming industry since the segment accounts for less than 5 percent of [aggregate] GGR [gross gaming revenue].”

In a statement on Tuesday, DigiPlus reassured its stakeholders, stating, “DigiPlus is here to stay as it reassures its stakeholders that the company is unaffected by the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).”

“DigiPlus is not a POGO or an Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL) as defined under Philippine laws,” stated DigiPlus president Andy Tsui in the press release.

The company emphasized that it “caters to customers based in the Philippines” and is mandated to maintain “physical branches around the country.”

The announcement clarified that as a local gaming operator, DigiPlus was required to establish physical gaming sites nationwide before launching its digital gaming platforms.

DigiPlus operates digital entertainment platforms such as BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, Perya Game, and BingoPlus Poker.

Additionally, the company stated it had to secure various licenses to offer a range of games, including traditional bingo, electronic bingo games, electronic gaming services, sports betting, specialty games, and poker.

Mr. Tsui added, “Fans of DigiPlus’ products will be glad to know that their top-of-the-line platforms will continue running without interruption, unaffected by the recent presidential announcement.”

DigiPlus reported first-quarter consolidated revenue of PHP13.63 billion (US$233.2 million), marking a 226.3 percent increase from the previous year.

This growth was “mainly due to an increase in revenue from bingo and electronic games from retail, casino, and property segments,” the firm stated in May.

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