Jamaine Punzalan

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) along Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raid a BPO compound in Bagac, Bataan on October 31,2024 alleged to be a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), following a search warrant for human trafficking violations. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

POGO-HUB

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176170367445920241031-pogo-raid-bagac-MT-11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) along Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) raid a BPO compound in Bagac, Bataan on October 31,2024 alleged to be a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO), following a search warrant for human trafficking violations. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has signed into law a measure that declares illegal all offshore gaming operations in the Philippines.</p><p>Republic Act No. 12312, signed on Oct. 25, 2025, states that it is illegal for any individual or entity to conduct or even offer offshore gaming or online “games of chance” or sporting events through a network, software, or program that is being operated in the Philippines. </p><p>This covers special economic, freeport, and tourism infrastructure and enterprise zones for offshore players or POGO-accredited service providers. </p><p>Prohibited acts under the law include the creation, operation, and conduct of an offshore gaming here in the country, acceptance of any form of betting for offshoring gaming operations, and serving as a POGO gaming content or service provider. </p><p>Other prohibitions include the following. </p><ul><li>Creation and operation of a POGO hub or POGO site in the Philippines</li><li>Introduction, use, or possession of POGO gaming equipment or POGO gaming paraphernalia in the Philippines</li><li>Aiding, protecting, or abetting the conduct of any act or activity </li><li>Registering companies used to conceal offshore gaming operations</li><li>Providing any kind of spurious identification cards, birth certificates, passports, licenses, and permits in support of offshore gaming operations</li><li>Leasing, subleasing, using, or allowing the use of any house, building, tourism enterprise, or similar establishment; any vehicle or carrier by land, sea, and air </li></ul><div><br/></div><p>Under the law, it is also illegal to assist someone in leaving or entering the country if the person they are helping lacks travel documents or if they are carrying tampered, fake, or illegally-acquired documents that would be used for offshore gaming operations. </p><p>In a statement, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said it &quot;fully supports&quot; the signing of RA 12312.</p><p>According to the agency, the Anti-POGO act &quot;should help empower our law enforcement agencies in going after illegal offshore gaming operators that pose serious threats to the personal and financial well-being of Filipinos.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CANCELLATION OF WORK PERMITS, PAYMENT OF DUES</strong></div><p>The law permanently withdraws, revokes, and cancels work permits and visas issued to those engaged in offshore gaming operations. </p><p>These include alien employment permits, certificates of exemption and exclusions issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and any visa or work permit issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) or other agencies. </p><p>It also prohibits the DOLE and BI from issuing any visa or work permit to individuals for purposes of offshore gaming. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/10/it-bpm-sector-expands-office-space-amid-pogo-exit-2001">IT-BPM sector expands office space amid POGO exit</a></div><p>“The BI shall ensure that a foreign national whose visa is cancelled in accordance with this provision shall be deported directly to the country of his or her birth or of which he or she is a citizen, in coordination with the appropriate embassy or consulate,” the law reads. </p><p>Despite being banned in the country for more than a year now, POGOs whose licenses were revoked under this law would need to continue paying their taxes, duties, regulatory fees, and other related charges to the government “up to the last day of their operations.”</p><p>“Notwithstanding the revocation of license and closure of operations, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall audit the aforementioned persons or entities in order to determine any tax liability,” the law stated.</p><p>“The POGO local gaming agent shall continue to act as the authorized representative of the POGOs for the payment of taxes resulting from the BIR audit,” it added. </p><p>Those found violating the law can be imprisoned for not less than 6 years for the first offense and fined at least P300,000 but not more than P15 million at the discretion of the court.</p><p>For the second offense, a violator can be imprisoned for 8 to 10 years and fined P15 million to P30 million. </p><p>A third offense could lead to imprisonment of 10 to 12 years and a fine P30 million to 50 million.  </p><p>“If the offender is a juridical entity, the penalties shall be imposed on the entity&#x27;s responsible officers, such as but not limited to, the president, chief executive officer, general manager, or partner directly responsible, or those members of the board of directors and others who have beneficial interest in the juridical entity, or those officers who knowingly permitted or failed to prevent the commission of violations,” the law stated. </p><p>“If the guilty officer is an alien, he or she shall be summarily deported after serving the sentence and forever barred from re-entering the Philippines,” it added. </p><p>If the violator is a public official or employee, the law states that the maximum penalty will be imposed and they would be dismissed from employment and perpetually disqualified to be elected, appointed, or even employed in any government post.</p><p>Their retirement benefits would also be forfeited. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN HAIL LAW’S PASSAGE</strong></div><p>Senators Risa Hontiveros and Sherwin Gatchalian hailed the passage of this law, saying this would sustain the government’s fight against POGOs and their continued presence in the country. </p><p>“Mula sa mga menor de edad na pinipilit pumasok sa prostitusyon para pagserbisyuhan ang mga Chinese POGO workers, hanggang sa mahiwagang kwento ng mga scam hubs ni Mayor Alice Guo, clearly, POGOs have harmed our country in more ways than we can imagine,” said Hontiveros. </p><p>“With this law, the government has a clear duty: to ensure that no POGO will ever turn the Philippines into their criminal playground again,” she added. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/pnp-filipinos-learned-scamming-from-pogos-now-operate-independently-2151">PNP: Filipinos learned scamming from POGOs, now operate independently</a></div><p>Gatchalian said the law’s passage would enable real progress. </p><p>“Makakamit natin ang totoong pag-unlad kung uunahin natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan at peace and order sa bansa. Ang batas na ito ay para tuluyan nang mapuksa ang mga salot na dulot ng POGO,” Gatchalian said.</p><p>“This isn’t just an economic issue but a moral imperative,” he said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/1/pagcor-approves-p50m-to-deport-illegal-pogo-workers-0938">Pagcor approves P50M to deport illegal POGO workers</a></div><p>Meanwhile, House Committee on Public Accounts Chairperson Terry Ridon said the social ills from POGOs far outweigh their economic contributions. </p><p>&quot;Incomparable ‘yung impact ng social ills doon sa pera na kinikita po ng gobyerno at ng bayan at ng ekonomiya mula POGOs,&quot; he said.</p><p>Ridon and ML Party List Representative Leila de Lima called for the strict enforcement of the law against POGOs.</p><p>&quot;We must ensure the strict implementation of this law so that it cannot be circumvented by those with selfish interests, especially under future administrations,&quot; said de Lima.</p><p>CIBAC Party List Representative Eddie Villanueva, who is among the principal authors of the bill, and House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson Rolando Valeriano, also lauded the new law signed by the President.</p><p>&quot;From the very beginning, we have warned that POGOs are not just an economic concern—they are a social menace. Behind the revenues are stories of human trafficking, money laundering, and broken lives. This law finally puts an end to that deception,&quot; Villanueva said.</p><p>&quot;We cannot build a nation on addiction, vice, and greed. This law reaffirms that we value human dignity over easy money,&quot; he added. -- with a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><iframe width="734" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZrD86kZwjzA" title="Parañaque City asked to explain presence of suspected POGO-related firm" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="734" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lw1MZ4HCUkc" title="Biggest POGO hub in PH shut down | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday signed into law a measure that bans offshore gaming operations in the Philippines.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday signed into law a measure that bans offshore gaming operations in the Philippines.

Marcos signs law banning POGOs

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Marcos signs law banning POGOs

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 29, 2025 10:09 AM PHT

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Updated October 29, 2025 07:43 PM PHT

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