Philippine authorities raided the offshore gaming firms Colorful and Leap Group Company at Sun Valley Hub in Clark in May 2023, according to Rappler1. The raid was reported in July 2024, when Pampanga officials and business leaders welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s announcement of a ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs)1.
Marcos announced the ban in his third State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives on Monday, July 22, 20241.
"Effective today, all POGOs are banned"
The report links the Clark raid to later enforcement action. Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President Agnes Devanadera terminated the sub-lease agreement linked to the Sun Valley Hub incident and suspended the processing and application of POGOs and business process outsourcing service providers inside the freeport zone1. A year after the Clark raid, authorities raided Lucky South 99 Gaming Corporation in Porac1. Both Devanadera and Porac Mayor Jaime Capil faced challenges brought by the raided POGOs, and Capil appeared in House and Senate probes on raided POGOs1.
Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda welcomed the ban, saying he expected it to stop illegal activities associated with Chinese-operated POGOs1. Pampanga Chamber of Commerce director Rene Romero said he was "personally delighted" and cited what he described as POGOs' negligible economic contributions and controversial operations, including money laundering that he said had tarnished the region's reputation as a safe destination for business and investment1. CDC said the decision affirmed its commitment to Clark's integrity and safety1.
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Raid on Colorful and Leap Group Company | Sun Valley Hub, Clark | May 20231 |
| Raid on Lucky South 99 Gaming Corporation | Porac | About a year later1 |
| Marcos announces POGO ban | Batasang Pambansa | July 22, 20241 |
What it means for players
The raid and the ban concern POGOs, the offshore operators that served customers abroad rather than walk-in gamblers in the Philippines. The reported enforcement actions centered on Clark and Porac in Pampanga, both in Central Luzon. The report does not state what happened to individual players, employees or customers connected to Colorful and Leap Group Company or Lucky South 99, and no charges, convictions or player losses tied to either raid are described in it. Anyone assessing the safety of a gambling venue or operator in the Philippines can find general guidance in ExpatBets' Gambling Scams and Safety in Asia and Can I Gamble in the Philippines? pages.
What happens next
The report gives no further dated steps for the Clark case. It states that the ban took effect on July 22, 2024, and that CDC had already suspended POGO and business process outsourcing applications inside the Clark freeport zone1. No timeline for the closure or relocation of remaining POGO operations is given in the report.
