Developing Story
Pogos Resurgence in the Philippines
Despite a 2024 ban, Philippine offshore gaming hubs (Pogos) reportedly persist through embedded corruption and AI tools, as highlighted by a September raid that arrested over 120 Chinese nationals linked to an illegal trading and scam operation.
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## Overview
Two years after the Philippines banned its offshore gaming hubs (Pogos), a recent crackdown on hundreds of foreigners has highlighted embedded corruption that still enables the sector to thrive, reportedly now powered in part by AI (SCMP, October 9).
## Details
In September, the National Bureau of Investigation raided a call-centre-style facility in Makati City, arresting more than 120 Chinese nationals linked to an alleged illegal trading and "lust scam" operation that tricked victims into sharing explicit videos (SCMP, October 9).
## Strategic Significance
The persistence of Pogos despite a formal ban, now reportedly aided by AI tools, signals ongoing law enforcement, corruption, and transnational crime challenges in Southeast Asia with relevance to regional regulatory and anti-corruption efforts.