Philippines Shuts Down Largest POGO Facility at Island Cove Resort

With less than two weeks until the complete cessation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities in the country, the Philippines’ largest POGO hub—located at the former Island Cove resort in Kawit, Cavite—was officially closed on Tuesday.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairperson Alejandro Tengco confirmed to local media that all POGO facilities nationwide have now been shut down. While acknowledging that the ban would lead to a projected government revenue loss of PHP 20 billion ($339 million), Tengco expressed optimism that new gaming licenses could help offset this financial gap.

The closure ceremony was attended by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, PAGCOR Chairperson Alejandro Tengco, and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil.

The sprawling POGO complex, situated on a 33-hectare site, was the largest in the Philippines. It employed 30,000 workers, half of whom were Filipino, and housed 57 buildings, including employee dormitories, gaming centers, restaurants, cafés, grocery stores, clinics, spas, and beauty salons.

Ongoing Crackdown on Illegal POGOs

Despite the nationwide shutdown of licensed POGO operations, Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz revealed that around 100 illegal or “guerrilla” POGO hubs remain active across the country. He stated that local authorities, in collaboration with the PNP, are working diligently to identify and shut down these unauthorized operations. Red flags such as houses with lights on around the clock, the presence of foreign nationals, frequent food deliveries, and unusually high internet usage often signal covert POGO activity.

To further address the issue, PAGCOR and the PNP plan to inspect special-class Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) facilities to ensure they are not harboring illegal gaming activities.

PNP Chief Marbil assured the public that efforts to combat illegal POGO operations are being ramped up. Task Force Skimmer, which includes the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, is closely monitoring these activities, tracking foreign nationals involved and keeping tabs on the scale of operations. The intensified crackdown is part of a broader effort to eliminate unauthorized gambling networks in the Philippines.

Related Posts