The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation said alien hacking and scam syndicates (AHaSS) are the real threat to national security, not legitimate and licensed offshore gaming operators called POGOs.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said legitimate Internet Gaming Licensees or IGLs generate funds for the government, contributing more than P5 billion to PAGCOR’s gross revenues in 2023.
“To us, the real threat are the alien hacking and scam syndicates who operate underground, and they are the ones that our law enforcement agencies are trying to locate and dismantle,” Tengco said. “And we are cooperating fully with the authorities in this regard.”
The PAGCOR chief also appealed to the public to report suspicious alien activities in their communities, saying that such criminal syndicates are usually armed and dangerous.
“We should not blame and demonize our licensed gaming operators because PAGCOR closely monitors these,” he said. “Our licensees pay taxes and help provide legitimate jobs and livelihood to many people.”
He said that PAGCOR has embedded monitoring teams in the physical venues of all licensed gaming operators, including land-based casinos, to ensure compliance with the terms of their licenses.
Tengco said that those found violating the provisions of their licenses are fined and penalized, and in the most serious offenses, the licenses are revoked and their bonds forfeited.
“We do not need to outlaw POGOs; what we need to do is intensify anti-crime operations against suspected alien hackers, against scammers and cyber-criminals who usually hide in highly secured buildings and compounds,” he said.
“These criminal syndicates are not engaged in offshore gaming at all, and even if they are, they are doing it illegally.
“So they are the real threat, and we must go after them with everything we have,” Tengco said.
Comments