Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: POGO operations lacking background checks

Wednesday 22nd of May 2024

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Good Morning. Check, check, one, two. A top Senator in the Philippines is coming down hard on authorities for allegedly not conducting background checks on POGO operators and employees, claiming that the overload of applications and their influence in the "upper echelons" of government are leading to the problems from illegal offshore operators. Meanwhile, the dismissal of one of NagaCorp's CEO's was seen as "surprising", given the level of influence of the former founder's son and his stake in the company, says an expert.

What you need to know

Background checks, visa issuance, tax payments and "upper echelon" influence oversight on POGOs currently lacking: Philippine Senator.
Recent dismissal of a NagaCorp CEO called “surprising” by an expert, given the former executive's portfolios and stake in company.

On the radar

Entain lauds diversified portfolio as lever for long-term growth.
Macau non-gaming visitor spending up by 36% YoY in 1Q24.
Charges filed in New Zealand's largest illegal lottery scheme.
Philippine Senator accuses “POGO Mayor” of ties to criminality.
Potential Euro 2024 gambling addiction concerns surge among Thais.
SJM makes culinary acquisitions to boost non-gaming offerings.

AGB Intelligence

POGOs

No background checks on offshore gaming operators, claims Senator

A top Philippine anti-POGO Senator is pushing for the total ban of offshore gaming operations (now known as IGLs) in the nation, citing recent raids and lack of inter-government communication as evidence that the industry needs a total overhaul. The official claims there are no background checks on both employers and employees and that tax declarations are coming up short, prompting his camp to push for legislation to ban the operators in both the Senate and the House.

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