Philippines passes Anti-POGO Act
The Philippine Senate has passed the Anti-POGO Act of 2025 strengthening the ban on Philippine offshore gambling operators, or POGOs, as well as introducing a measure to penalize property owners that host them.
The Act repealed the Republic Act, which initiated the taxation of POGOs in 2021. POGOs had been regulated by the Philippine government in 2016, at the start of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency.
The Anti-POGO Act of 2025, which was proposed via Senate Bill No. 2868, has garnered support from various lawmakers in recent months, including a vociferous push by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros in April.
The Act mandates the confiscation of properties and equipment related to any POGO operations, to prevent any reuse in future illegal activities.
The legislation’s author, Senator Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian said it aims to eliminate all remaining POGOs – which have been banned since 1 January 2025 – emphasizing that the economic benefits of POGOs do not outweigh the social costs.
“This isn’t just a law — it’s the people’s demand to end the POGO menace,” Gatchalian told the Philippine News Agency.
Philippine authorities have spent this year enforcing the ban in an attempt to eradicate remaining POGO operations. In February, the country was removed from the “grey list” of the Financial Action Task Force.
In March, the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration tightened restrictions for foreign nationals linked to POGO-related crimes, by banning deportation flights with layovers in the hope it would lower opportunities for deportees to expand their operations in other Asian countries.
Dig deeper
2025/04/09: Philippine lawmaker pushes for Anti-POGO Act; regional cooperation in battling illegal online gaming
2025/03/25: Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration bans layover flights for POGO fugitives
2025/04/14: Philippine Bureau of Immigration deports 84 in POGO crackdown
2025/02/04: Mississippi House passes online sports betting bill
Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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