Philippines regulator: Beware of illegal offshore gaming sites
In the post-POGO era, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp is warning the public that illegal offshore gaming sites still abound.
In a statement issued Sunday, the agency called out 11 fraudulent sites that claim to be licenced. They are: efesbetcasino514.com; OG7777.com; Mpo500.com; QQ88.com; mpo2121.com; Lgolive.com; napolibet.com; Kratosbet.com; mpossport.com; efsanebahis434.com and cazeus2.com.
The illegal sites are out to deceive the public, to the point of displaying the PAGCOR logo and fabricated licence certificates.
“These platforms are not authorised to operate under any PAGCOR-issued licence,” said Alejandro Tengco, PAGCOR chairman and CEO. “The use of PAGCOR’s name and logo is a blatant disrespect to the agency and poses a threat to the public.”
Philippines banned offshore gaming in 2024
Last summer, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr banned Philippines Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) due to allegations of organised crime.
In his 22 July State of the Nation address, Marcos said POGOs, disguised as legitimate gaming operations, served as fronts for online scams. Moreover, they “ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming” including “money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder”.
While the POGO ban was effective immediately, Executive Order 74 gave operators until 31 December to wind down. Six months later, however, former licensees and service providers continue to operate.
“Any entity claiming to operate under a PAGCOR licence for offshore gaming is clearly violating the law,” Tengco said.
Lucky 7 pay-to-play scam
In May, PAGCOR warned about fraudulent gaming certifications linked to Lucky 7 Bingo Corp, a licenced operator of egames venues.
According to PAGCOR, bogus partners of the company ran a pay-to-play scam in which bettors had to deposit PHP3,000 ($53) for a chance to win PHP50,000.
“While Lucky 7 Bingo Corp is a legitimate licensee, it does not hold any valid offshore gaming license,” emphasised Jessa Fernandez, head of PAGCOR’s Offshore Gaming and Licensing Department. “The license presented in said agreements is fake, and any engagement based on it is fraudulent.”
Fernandez urged citizens to “exercise due diligence when engaging with entities that claim to be PAGCOR-related”.
Tengo asked for the public’s cooperation in reporting bogus sites.