Philippine Senator Zubiri recently stated that up to one-third of the population in the Philippines may be associated with Philippine POGO and online gambling, and the real identities of the billionaires and operators behind this vast network will be revealed at the upcoming Senate hearing.
Zubiri said in an interview: "We need to figure out who is behind these platforms, whether there are political figures involved... If these companies are indeed backed by super-rich individuals, the public has the right to know the truth." He emphasized that this investigation will be extremely difficult, as the related individuals have strong financial resources and complex connections, but the hearing will directly target their identities and sources of funding.
He also revealed that some e-wallet service providers will also be required to attend the hearing to trace the flow of funds and profit models. Zubiri stated: "We must grasp the actual revenue scale of these platforms, the number of users, and the details of cross-border capital flows."
Zubiri also warned that there might be about 32 million online gamblers in the Philippines, equivalent to one-third of the national population, "almost every family has at least one or two people attracted to participate." He called on society to recognize the risks that POGO might bring, to avoid the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, and emphasized the need to protect public interests.
