President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday ordered a nationwide ban on China-focused gambling operations known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, which takes effect by the end of the year.
"I hereby instruct Pagcor to wind down and cease the opraotns of POGO by the end of the year,” President Marcos said during the third State of the Nation Address on Monday.
Pagcor or Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. is government regulator of casinos and other forms of gambling. Talks of a potential ban were first reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday.
Marcos went further, saying the Department of Labor and the country’s economic team “shall use the time between now and then to find new jobs for our countrymen who will be displaced”.
Pagcor chair and CEO Alejandro Tengco earlier warned that full ban of POGOs could lead to job losses for thousands of Filipino workers.
