Philippine Senate passes bill instituionalizing ban on POGOs

The Philippine Senate has passed the Anti-POGO Act of 2025 (Senate Bill No. 2868) on its third and final reading. The move institutionalizes the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), whose activities have been outlawed by an executive order since December 2024.

In an overwhelming vote of support, the bill received 23 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions during Monday's final Senate reading. Prepared by the Committees on Ways and Means and Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development, it repeals Republic Act 11590, under which offshore gaming was previously legalized.

The bill was authored by Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, Raffy Tulfo, Pia Cayetano, and Grace Poe. “This isn’t just a law —it’s the people’s demand to end the POGO menace,” Gatchalian said, warning that the economic benefits of offshore gambling cannot justify the social costs.

The legislation prohibits "any person or entity from conducting or offering offshore gaming." This includes establishing offshore gaming in the country; accepting "any form of betting for offshore gaming operations"; "acting as a POGO gaming content provider or POGO service provider"; creating POGO hubs or POGO sites in the Philippines, and introducing, using, or possessing POGO gaming equipment.

The bill also prohibits registering companies used to "conceal offshore gaming operations" leasing properties, vehicles, computer systems or digital platforms for the use in the prohibited acts; as well as prohibiting the assistance of entry or exit to the country for individuals using fake or inaccurate travel documents for the purpose of POGO activities.

The country's gambling regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and other authorities, no longer hold the power to license or permite offshore gaming in the Philippines.

Breaking the law carries penalties including not less than six years to up to 12 years of imprisonment and fines of up to PHP50 million ($896,000). Public officials are set to face "the maximum of the applicable penalty" for their offenses, while foreigners shall be deported and barred from re-entering the Philippines after serving their sentence.

The bill further mandates that all POGO-related buildings or other structures or facilities, materials, gaming equipment, and gaming paraphernalia used in violation of the act, along with proceeds, "shall be forfeited in favor of the government." The gaming equipment and gaming paraphernalia "shall be destroyed by the seizing authority."

The ban on POGOs follows 2024 reports from authorities that offshore gambling hubs had been engaging in human trafficking and physical and sexual abuse. This included POGO hubs in Bambam, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga.