President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act (RA) No. 12312, or the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, officially banning Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the country.
Signed on October 23, the law repeals RA No. 11590, which had previously imposed taxes on offshore gaming firms linked to various illegal activities, including human trafficking, kidnapping, and online scams.
“To this end, offshore gaming operations in the Philippines are hereby banned and declared unlawful,” the law read.
Meanwhile, Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday hailed the enactment of the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, describing it as a decisive move to permanently end the operations of offshore gaming firms and their criminal networks in the Philippines.
“I am elated by the enactment of this measure as the POGOs have brought nothing but a surge in criminalities that include kidnapping, human trafficking, and prostitution, among others,” said Gatchalian.
“This isn’t just an economic issue but a moral imperative,” he added.
Estimates from the Department of Finance (DOF) showed that the POGOs’ estimated total economic benefits only amounted to PHP 166.49 billion per year, significantly lower than the estimated total economic costs of PHP 265.74 billion annually.
The economic benefits took into account government revenues, such as tax revenues from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BlR) as well as Gross Gaming Revenues from the PAGCOR.
Other estimated direct economic benefits include estimated income from office and residential space rentals, transportation, and the additional demand from the private consumption of employees and entities.
Indirect economic benefits were also taken into consideration, which comprised the associated economic activities as well as government revenues earned from POGOs’ multiplier effects, the DOF said.
On the other hand, the estimated economic costs of POGOs include the undesired effects of reputational risks which have an impact on foreign direct investments. POGO-related crimes also bring a negative impact in terms of the country’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.
Apart from these, POGOs entail social costs, which are unquantifiable. This includes the loss of life as well as physical and psychological harm to victims of criminal activities. POGO operations also affect communities by increasing fear and anxiety associated with illegal activities, according to the DOF.
Under the law, all forms of offshore gaming are prohibited, including operating, providing services to, or accepting bets for POGO activities.
The ban also covers the establishment of POGO hubs or sites and the use or possession of gaming equipment and paraphernalia.
The law further penalizes anyone aiding or concealing such operations, including those registering companies concealing POGO hubs, issuing fake documents, leasing properties or vehicles for illegal gaming use, or facilitating the movement of individuals involved in these prohibited activities.
In November 2024, the president issued Executive Order No. 74 prohibiting Philippine Offshore Gaming, internet gaming, and other offshore gaming operations in the country.
Under Section 2, No. 13 of the Executive Order, all POGOs and other offshore gaming operators without the proper license, permit, or authorization from government authorities are deemed illegal gambling entities and subject to the government’s intensified crackdown on illegal gambling.
The order also prohibits the issuing of new licenses or permits for POGO and offshore gaming applicants, stating that existing licenses, permits, or authorizations will no longer be renewed or extended.
Gatchalian said the measure guarantees sustained government action against POGO-like entities that have persisted despite the nationwide ban earlier this year.
The senator, who spearheaded the campaign to terminate all POGO activities, said any short-term economic gains were outweighed by the long-term social costs and moral decay they brought to communities.
“We can achieve genuine progress if we prioritize the welfare of our people and maintain peace and order in the country. This law aims to completely eradicate the ills brought about by POGOs,” he assured.
Under the new law, all licenses and permits issued to POGOs and their service providers are revoked, and future applications for similar businesses are prohibited.
It also mandates the closure of offshore gaming hubs and the deportation of foreign nationals involved in illegal gambling or related crimes.
Hontiveros said the law corrects the mistake of the previous administration in allowing POGOs to take root in the country.
“I have long called for the abolition of POGOs in the country, having seen and exposed how this industry abused and exploited not just people, but also institutions,” she said.
Hontiveros cited testimonies from trafficked women and whistleblowers who helped expose the widespread criminality tied to the industry.
She thanked government agencies and victims who came forward, as well as Gatchalian, whom she called her “fellow POGO-buster,” for leading the legislative effort.
“With this law, the government now has a clear duty to make sure that no POGO will ever again turn the Philippines into their criminal playground,” the senator concluded.
