Marcos bans Philippine online casinos linked to scams and crime

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr gave the gaming regulator until the end of 2024 to shut down the Philippine offshore gaming operators. - AFP

MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has banned offshore casinos operating in the Philippines, condemning the controversial online industry for its “grave abuse” of the country’s laws.

Marcos, in his State of the Nation address on July 22, gave the national gaming regulator until the end of 2024 to shut down the Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) which cater to overseas gamblers, including Chinese nationals, and have been linked to criminal activities.