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Better regulations sought for e-gaming

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr"></span></span></div><p>Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants better regulation of electronic gaming or e-gaming to avoid the proliferation of crime as with the case of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). </p><p>E-gaming are online games that take bets from local sources or within the Philippines. </p><p>“Nakita rin namin may kahinaan yung pagdating sa regulation. For example, napakadaling mag-open ang account sa mga e-gaming…Kahit magbigay ka ng pekeng pangalan, puwede ka mag-open ng account…At dahil puwede kang magbigay ng pekeng pangalan, puwede ka rin pumasok sa money laundering,” Gatchalian said. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/9/11/almost-27-000-pogo-workers-profiled-by-dole-1430" id="isPasted">Almost 27,000 POGO workers profiled by DOLE </a> </div><p>Although the government lost revenue after POGOs were ordered closed, Gatchalian said the revenue from e-gaming can make up for it. </p><p>In 2023, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) earned more than P22 billion from e-games, a big jump from the P6 billion earned in 2021.</p><p> Gatchalian’s Committee on Ways and Means is holding hearings on POGOs with the end goal of crafting a law that will ban this POGOs. </p><p>“Ang simple definition ng POGO, kumukuha siya ng taya galing sa labas. At ni-rebrand nila ito into IGL (Internet Gaming Licensee)…Yung batas na ika-craft namin, bawal na ang mga korporasyon na kumuha ng taya galing sa labas,” Gatchalian explained. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/10/human-trafficking-raps-filed-vs-cassandra-ong-others-over-illegal-pogo-1430" id="isPasted">Human trafficking raps filed vs Cassandra Ong, others over illegal POGO </a> </div><p>The committee is still studying whether service providers or special class Business Process Outsourcing should be allowed to continue. </p><p>“Ibig sabihin, nag-provide siya ng service sa mga kumpanya outside of the Philippines pero hindi siya kumukuha ng taya,” Gatchalian said. </p><p>One safeguard to ensure that POGOs will not disguise as service providers or special class BPOs is the requirement that 95% of employees must be Filipinos. POGOs employ a big number of foreigners.</p>

<p>Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants better regulation of electronic gaming or e-gaming to avoid the proliferation of crime as with the case of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).</p>

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants better regulation of electronic gaming or e-gaming to avoid the proliferation of crime as with the case of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).