A brief history of POGOs
POGOs are online gaming companies licensed to operate in the Philippines. They offer a variety of gaming services including online casino games and sports betting to foreign gamblers.
In 2016, the south Asian nation formalized online gaming, drawing several operators to set up in the country. But the sun soon started setting on the sunrise industry.
In 2020, many of those businesses fled to neighboring countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, as covid-19 ravaged the Philippines.
The following year, tighter regulations added to POGOs’ woes. Manila imposed a 5% tax on gross gaming revenue and charged foreigners employed in online casinos and their service providers 25% income tax. The government hoped to raise tax revenue, but in reality, it drove many POGOs out of the country.
Despite the headwinds, the industry clearly remains a money spinner. Consider the shirt sponsorships and commercial partnerships these operators have forged with English football teams. Leyu, which has a PAGCOR license, is an official sponsor for Chelsea. Another betting brand, SBOTOP, has a multi-year deal to be Leeds United’s primary sponsor. Yet another, W88, not only struck deals with Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Fulham, but also Argentina’s Football Association.
34: The number of licensed POGO companies in the Philippines as of Sept. 20 (There were 63 before the pandemic)
17: The number of POGO-related kidnappings so far this year, according to The Philippine National Police (PNP). In all of 2021, there were 12 such cases
300,000: The number of Chinese nationals the POGO industry employed at its peak