It’s been a reasonably quiet week in the Philippines gambling market, for a change. However, thanks to the ongoing row between China and the Philippines due to the latter’s controversial POGO industry, developments in competing markets – especially those in China – are of much interest to Filipino casino insiders. Just this week, the China … Read more
While the Philippines have been a constant thorn in the side of China through the former’s controversial POGO industry, Cambodia has received less fanfare for being largely the same thing. Over the past several years, both Southeast Asian nations have built up domestic gambling markets that largely target mainland Chinese players, much to Beijing’s chagrin. … Read more
The Philippine gambling industry can’t seem to catch a break. Despite record profits and a concerted effort to crack down on tax-dodging POGOs and commercial brick-and-mortar casinos, critics are still pushing the narrative that the industry is a magnet for fraudsters and violent criminals. The South China Morning Post’s most recent report on the subject … Read more
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
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
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
Seemingly week to week, the gambling situation in the Philippines appears to change. Indeed, the politics of POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) and local gaming venues have lately been the biggest roller coaster in the country. For many of the parties involved, of course, the current landscape has been far from an amusement park. After … Read more
The current state of gambling in the Philippines – in all its guises – continues to be problematic, according to various interested parties in government and the private sector. In the midst of an ongoing row with China over Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the island nation also has the matter of industry compliance to … Read more
Despite ongoing disagreements with Beijing and a local enforcement initiative against tax-dodging Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the Philippines seem to be moving full speed ahead in embracing the burgeoning online gambling industry. From December 3-4, Manila will be hosting the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia. The scheduled venue for the convention is the Manila … Read more
The Philippines’ ongoing fight to collect taxes from delinquent online gambling operators continues apace. Last week, the Great Empire Gaming and Amusement Corporation – the country’s second-largest Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator, or POGO – was shut down for tax dodging. Arnel Gubarra, the Deputy Commissioner of the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), laid out … Read more