POGO Philippines

2022 - 10 - 11

Post cover — Image courtesy of "CNN Philippines"

PH now in China's blacklist of tourist sites amid POGO woes (CNN Philippines)

The Philippines has been placed under China's blacklist of tourist destinations due to issues hounding the POGO industry, Senate President Migz Zubiri said ...

Philippines on China's blacklist of tourist sites over Pogo operations ... (INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the continuous operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), the Philippines has been included in China's blacklist ...

“Ambassador Huang said that the Philippines now is part of a blacklist of tourist sites because they do not know if the tourist going there will be operating or will be joining Pogo operations,” Zubiri said. MANILA, Philippines — Amid the continuous operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), the Philippines has been included in China’s blacklist of tourist destinations. Philippines on China’s blacklist of tourist sites over Pogo operations — Zubiri

Philippines in China's tourism blacklist over POGOs, Zubiri says (Philstar.com)

China has placed the Philippines on a tourism blacklist over the continued operations of offshore gaming operators in the country, Senate President Juan ...

China’s culture and tourism ministry has referred to the existence of a tourism blacklist at least three times since it was first announced in August 2020. Arrivals from China dropped to 22,236 this year. “Ambassador Huang said that the Philippines now is part of a blacklist of tourist sites because they do not know if the tourist going there will be joining POGO operations and they do not know if their nationals who go to the Philippines will be safe from illegal activities done by the Triad, by the syndicates operating POGO,” Zubiri said.

China blacklists Philippines as tourist destination due to POGO ... (GMA News Online)

The Chinese government has included the Philippines in its blacklist for tourist destinations due to the continuous operations of offshore gaming, ...

(We have not received any advisory with respect to that blacklisting issue. That’s the reason why there’s been a significant drop in Chinese tourists. “They may be kidnapped, mistaken for POGO operators.

Philippines lands in China tourism blacklist over POGOs: Zubiri (ABS-CBN News)

China has blacklisted the Philippines as a tourist destination due to continued POGO operations, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

In September, talks of banning POGOs reached the Senate, with Sen. "Nakakagalit na parang wala na talagang sinasanto ang mga POGO. "Crimes induced by and associated with online gambling not only harm China's interests and China-Philippines relations, but also hurt the interests of the Philippines," the Chinese embassy in Manila said. Isipin din natin, 'Ano ang kapalit nito?'" she said. Receivables from operators of POGOs reached P2.328 billion as of the end of 2021, according to a government audit on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). Noting a string of POGO-related abductions and decreasing tax collections from the industry, she said the Philippines must consider "creative ways" to generate income.

Zubiri: China to blacklist countries that allow offshore gaming to ... (Manila Bulletin)

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said this was relayed to him by Chinese Ambassador Juang Xilian during the latter's courtesy call in the Senate.

Zubiri also said Huang also mentioned that based on their assessment, Chinese POGO owners and operators are likely to be connected in syndicated crimes and illegal activities, thus, they are also wanted in China. The Senate leader also said that the ambassador pointed to the difficulty of regulating online transactions based on their experience that is why they decided to totally ban online gambling as well. “The Ambassador said that countries that allow POGO operations will be blacklisted for tourism to protect their citizen from possible crime,” he said.