The Island Cove Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite ceased operations on Nov. 30, 2024, according to a sign posted at the site1. The closure came ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline set by the government2, though The Manila Times reported a Dec. 15 deadline set by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.1. The Manila Standard described it as the largest POGO hub in Cavite3.
The closure displaced 12,000 Filipinos, 5,000 of them from Cavite, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer2. About 4,000 other workers at the hub were of Malaysian, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Chinese nationalities2. The hub operated for three years following its construction from 2018 to 2021 on a 35-hectare island2.
Kawit municipal administrator Rey Santos said the closure meant a P40 million annual loss for the Kawit government from real property taxes and business permit issuances2. He noted the hub generated income for taxi drivers who earned as much as P50,000 a month and translators from P80,000 to P100,000, with a minimum wage set at P20,0002.
Marcos issued Executive Order No. 74 banning Pogos in the country, citing cases of human trafficking, harsh working environment, torture, and online scams by the mostly Chinese-owned industry2. Operators were given until the end of 2024 to cease operations and move out of the Philippines2.
Ron Lim, outgoing general manager of the compound, said the hub complied with all regulations and had no complaints of illegal activity during its three years of operation2.
"We pride ourselves [on] paying the right taxes, complying with all the guidelines set by the (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) and all the government agencies"
Santos confirmed First Orient's assertion that it did not operate illegal activities2. The Inquirer joined a Kawit local government ocular inspection of the hub on Dec. 112.
What it means for players
The closure of Island Cove removes one of the largest POGO hubs in Cavite. For players in the Philippines, the shutdown is part of the wider ban on POGOs under The Philippines' Ban on Offshore Gaming (POGOs). The ban affects offshore gaming operations that served customers abroad, not land-based casinos or other forms of gambling regulated in the country. Players can check Can I Gamble in the Philippines? for the current rules. The closure does not change the legal status of domestic online gambling or physical casinos, which are regulated separately. For a regional overview, see Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
Kawit has coordinated with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to arrange job fairs and startup business assistance for displaced workers2. Santos said proposals have been received to turn the cove into a school or a hospital, but First Orient, the current owners, will decide the property's fate2.
Sources3 sources
- Island Cove POGO hub stops operations | The Manila Times, manilatimes.net
- Island Cove’s jobless: The other side of the Pogo ban, globalnation.inquirer.net
- Island Cove POGO hub in Cavite closes ahead of deadline - Manila Standard, manilastandard.net
