Although the pandemic has put a pause to most industries, a series of raids has revealed that unlicensed online gambling operations in the Philippines have continued. As the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) prepares to allow tax abiding Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) back to work, they had to clarify that while they are against unlicensed operations, there’s not much they can do about them.

Congressman JB Bernos, Chairperson of the House Committee on Games and Amusements, has called on PAGCOR and the industry to help weed out non-registered gambling firms, based on news of recent raids in residential communities. The Manila Standard reports that PAGCOR is totally sympathetic with his plea.

“As the country’s gaming regulator, PAGCOR likewise denounces all forms of illegal gambling in the country – whether it is land-based or online,” PAGCOR said in a statement. “Hence, we welcome this recent move by authorities to apprehend illegal online gaming operators or what we now officially call NOGOs.”

But while they are against these NOGOs, they can’t do much about them. The gambling regulator has no police powers, and depends upon the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Office of Cybercrime (OOC) under the Department of Justice (DOJ) to actually find and terminate unlicensed operations.