Metro Manila Casinos Now Allowed To Reopen Near Max Capacity

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Slowly but surely, the land-based Philippine casino industry is opening back up. After suffering through more extended lockdowns (albeit not to the extent that they were closed during 2020), major Philippine IRs are now welcoming back in-person patrons. While the biggest operators had rolled out legal online iGaming to a limited clientele (rendering them largely … Read more

POGOs Fold As PAGCOR Goes All In On PIGOs

all in on poker table

Once a thriving (if controversial) industry in the Philippines, POGOs – or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators – are now becoming a thing of the past. Before the recent coronavirus pandemic, POGOs were a big moneymaker for the Philippine government. Regulated by PAGCOR, POGOs allowed online gambling games to be hosted inside Philippines borders, though their … Read more

President Duterte Relents On Gambling Bans, Hints At Expanded Markets

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And just like that, we were right. Of course, so was everyone else. Back when the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic first kicked off in 2020 and led to long-term Manila casino closures, we posited that local politicians – up to and including President Rodrigo Duterte – would probably change their tunes on the Philippine gambling industry. … Read more

PAGCOR Sale Proposed To Secure Funds To Fight COVID-19

PAGCOR Office With For Sale Sign In Front

Last Sunday, Philippines Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon suggested that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) should be sold off to create revenue to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. The request from Drilon demonstrates how dire the COVID-19 situation is in the Philippines, as the entity ranks third behind revenue and customs on … Read more

PAGCOR Casinos To Remain Closed Until May Due To Coronavirus

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Times are tough all over. What was supposed to be a month-long Manila shutdown has been extended to the end of April at the very least, and the quarantine could last longer still. Karlo Nograles, spokesperson for the country’s coronavirus task force, said that the request was made to the Rodrigo Duterte administration because the … Read more

Coronavirus Cost: PAGCOR losing Nearly US$120 Million Per Month

coronavirus cost 120 million usd per month pagcor

As the worldwide Wuhan coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on industry across the globe, the Philippines gambling market is experiencing significant losses. The most recent estimates suggest that PAGCOR – the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – is losing US$118 million in revenue per month while most of its gambling businesses have been shut down. PAGCOR … Read more

Despite Casino Closures, PAGCOR Operators Aiding Coronavirus Response

manila lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic

Last week, it was announced that Metro Manila was to undergo a month-long quarantine to help fend off the impact of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. Naturally, that also meant closing casinos in the National Capital Region (NCR), which is comprised of 16 major cities. Now, however, the brick-and-mortar gaming ban has been … Read more

POGOs Aren’t The Only Tax Dodgers In The Philippine Gambling Market

philippines private casinos tax dodging

There is seemingly no end to the various “controversies” around the domestic Philippines gambling industry. Usually, the issues of import arise from the tenuous, Chinese-dominated POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) market, but the local casino markets have also been in the spotlight of late. First, many local politicians suggested that the state-run casinos in the … Read more

Philippines Report Shines New Light On POGO, Casino Scandals

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2019 has been an adventurous – if not tumultuous year – for the Philippine gambling industry. Between admonishments from neighboring China and the influx of migrants to President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on tax-evading Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and the local government’s questioning of the state-owned brick-and-mortar casino model, the market – while profitable – … Read more

This Week In Philippines Gambling: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

philippines gambling good bad ugly

For the domestic gambling industry, it’s been an interesting couple of weeks in the Philippines. There are three major stories of note concerning the gaming landscape in the island nation, with some good news and some bad news. The Good Starting off with the good news, PAGCOR – the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – … Read more