A key opponent of the Philippines POGO industry has called for all forms of online gambling to be banned.
Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday pushed for passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1281, which if passed would prohibit the Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL) scheme – previously known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – but also ban other forms of online gambling. It is not clear if this would include the growing “remote gaming” industry which allows land-based casino operators to provide live-streamed gaming to Philippine residents.
In a statement, Villanueva, who pointed to evidence of human trafficking, scams and kidnapping among former POGO license holders, said “There should be no debate that the social costs of gambling far outweigh any benefits. We must put an end to this once and for all.”
