Gatchalian questions P1.9-B in undeclared taxes from licensed POGOs

In POGOs, bets are made by players abroad through service providers based here in the Philippines.

Tory Ho / AFP / File

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators or POGOs have underdeclared tax payments to the government, a lawmaker said Wednesday, pointing to discrepancies between gross gaming revenues submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. 

In a statement sent to reporters, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian cited research from his office which found estimated tax leakages of P1.9 billion due to the discrepancy of gross gaming revenue as reported by the BIR and PAGCOR from POGOs from January to August this year.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate ways and means committee, said that the government could have collected more taxes and fees from legitimate POGOs “had they been more honest in their transactions with the BIR and PAGCOR.”

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/10/19/2217827/gatchalian-questions-p19-b-undeclared-taxes-licensed-pogos