Invalid passports – China fights illegal gambling

In the fight against illegal gambling, the Chinese authorities are forced to step more and more drastic and now imposed a ban on exit. Numerous Chinese citizens who are assigned to the area of gambling are affected. At the center of the new, clear measures is the smoldering conflict between the Philippines and the Chinese government around the so -called pogos (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations). The online casinos employ numerous Chinese citizens and, according to the Chinese authorities, are trying to take Chinese VIP players more and more.

Frauds on the Internet act across borders

The message about those imposed by the Ministry of Internal Security Travel bans for Chinese citizens Was through the Chinese message published in Manila. The travel bans apply to numerous Chinese who are accused of actively participating in the Philippines online gambling sector.

The reports on the Chinese message on the Chinese embassy were confirmed last weekend. For example, thousands of passports were declared invalid by the People’s Republic. The topic was also quickly reported in the Filipino media. There it was said that the travel ban almost Only Chinese citizens who work in the pogos are concerned. As a result, online frauds should be massively more difficult and combated beyond the national borders.

The problem with the pogos. ”Pogos (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) have been at the center of an increasingly serious conflict between the People’s Republic of China, in which, except for a state lottery and the special administrative zone of Macau, gambling, and the more moderate Philippines in this context. Gambling is also prohibited in the Philippines, but due to the economic importance, gambling providers are tolerated, which use online casinos to access the rest of the Asian market. The Chinese market plays an important role for the online casinos, which are mostly operated by Chinese themselves, which in turn is a big thorn in the side of the Chinese government. ”

End of the conflict not in sight – Pogos as a permanent issue

Of the Conflict between the Chinese authorities and the Filipino gambling supervision Hogged in the air for a long time. China had repeatedly pushed the Philippines of their licensed online casinos in which numerous Chinese citizens work to close immediate effect. However, since in the Philippines, in contrast to China, gambling is allowed under certain conditions and the pogos play an important economic role for the country, the Filipino gambling supervision Pagcor had positioned itself accordingly and rejected this step. He was not proportionate.

The ban on exit from China for the suspects is now a next step in a long row of needles that the authorities are mutually given. According to the Chinese message, however, the ban on exit is not an illegal step, but is directed officially at the applicable entry and exit law of the People’s Republic of China. In addition, the Chinese message again dropped a statement in the direction of the Filipino responsible, in which it urgently recommends the expansion of the cooperation between the two countries in the law enforcement:

“The Chinese side would like to continue working closely with the Philippines to combat crimes such as telecommunications fraud, illegal online gambling, money laundering, illegal employment, kidnapping, extortion, torture, murder, etc. to protect and promote friendship and cooperation between China and the Philippines. ”

So far, the attempts by the Chinese authorities to convince the Filipino government of a ban on pogos were not successful. The strategy of the Chinese authorities now seems to change. The focus of the fight against illegal gambling is now increasingly your own citizensas is easy to see from the bans imposed. It remains to be seen whether this step for the Chinese authorities turns out to be effective in the still an indulging conflict with the pogos. It will also be exciting to see how those affected react to the changed travel regulations. Whether this also reduces the activities of the pogos remains more of a big question mark.