Most fans of Premier League clubs probably couldn’t tell you much about the Pogo sector, but it has become deeply embedded in top-flight English football. A Philippines Offshore Gambling Operation (Pogo) is a Philippines-based gambling site that broadcasts games of chance to other jurisdictions – usually elsewhere in Asia. Almost by definition, this comes without approval by local authorities in the operator’s target markets.
While China has been the highest-profile target, a number of Pogos also specialize in the Korean or Vietnamese markets. The sector is also widely believed to be infiltrated by criminal organizations and has been linked to crimes such as human trafficking, slavery, and prostitution. In this context, is it wise for English football teams to continue to make deals with organizations operating within this sector?
Many English football teams have made lucrative sponsorship agreements with Philippine-based operators, such as W88, Fun88, i8.bet, Leyu, and SBOTop. To be clear, there is currently no evidence directly linking any club’s sponsors to the aforementioned crimes – but is it worth the money to have ties to a sector that is so embroiled in controversy?
It has been proven that the line between legal and illegal organizations is at least somewhat blurred; a recent Filipino police raid rescued enslaved foreign workers from a licensed Pogo, previously considered by the regulator to be a legitimate organization.
Are Pogos’ days numbered? Pogos existed in the twilight world of the grey and black markets long before they were regulated – with 2003 often being cited as the date when the first organizations were set up.
In 2016, the Duterte administration decided to regulate the already-thriving vertical; the hope was that it might bring some order to what had been a largely unregulated sector, as well as allow for the industry to be subject to taxes.
But only six years after the founding of the market, the legal Pogos’ days may be numbered, with senior figures in the legislature and government supporting a blanket ban on the sector.
The issue of Pogo operations is intertwined with a humanitarian crisis as it has triggered widespread crimes. Recent raids by the Philippines National Police (PNP) have exposed money laundering, human trafficking, murder, torture, prostitution, kidnapping, and slavery associated with the sector.
At the same time, the UK is on the verge of major gambling reform. The actions taken by the industry to demonstrate self-regulation could shape UK policy. The Premier League was even considering a voluntary shirt sponsorship ban.
English football clubs should closely examine the specifics of their potential partners and distance themselves from Pogos. The reputation and public perception of the sector matter greatly.
