Philippines officially enacts law permanently banning offshore gaming operations
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law the Republic Act (RA) 12312, known as the “Anti-POGO Act of 2025,” formally banning and declaring illegal all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) across the country.
The new law repeals RA 11590, which had previously legalized and taxed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, and permanently cancels all existing POGO licenses. It also prohibits the establishment, operation, or conduct of offshore gaming, the acceptance of offshore bets, the creation of POGO hubs, and the use or possession of gaming equipment or paraphernalia.
“The State recognizes that the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are paramount for the meaningful enjoyment of democracy,” the law states. “The State likewise values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.
“To this end, offshore gaming operations in the Philippines are hereby banned and declared unlawful.”
The legislation establishes an Administrative Oversight Committee chaired by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission to ensure enforcement of the ban. It also directs the Bureau of Internal Revenue to audit and collect any outstanding taxes or fees from former POGO operators.
All foreign workers previously employed in POGO operations will have their visas and work permits revoked and will be deported to their countries of origin, according to the Act.
Penalties under the law range from six to eight years in prison and fines of up to PhP15 million ($255,275) for a first offense, to up to 12 years and PhP50 million ($850,920) for repeat violations. Public officials found guilty face the maximum penalties, while foreign offenders will be deported after serving their sentence and permanently barred from re-entry into the country.
The measure follows Marcos’s earlier Executive Order No. 74, issued in November 2024, which halted new license applications and required all offshore gaming operations to cease by December 31, 2024. The Anti-POGO Act now institutionalizes that order and formalizes the nationwide prohibition.
In the executive order, Marcos said: “The State has the paramount duty to safeguard national security, maintain public order, uphold the rule of law, protect the safety of its citizens, and ensure the integrity of the social fabric of the nation.”
During his State of the Nation Address in July 2024, he said that “banning all POGOs will solve many of the problems the Philippines is encountering.”
The Senate passed the measure as Senate Bill No. 2868 on June 9, 2025, and the House of Representatives adopted it as an amendment to House Bill No. 10987 two days later, completing legislative approval before its signing into law this month.
https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/10/30/116078-philippines-officially-enacts-law-permanently-banning-offshore-gaming-operations