Marcos signs law banning POGOS

President Marcos has signed a law banning Philippine offshore gaming operators, more than a year after he ordered a crackdown on the POGOs, which have been linked to cyberscams, money laundering, human trafficking and other illegal activities.

- ALEXIS ROMERO

Republic Act 12312, enacted on Oct. 23, institutionalized a policy announced by Marcos during his State of the Nation Address last year. The newly enacted measure repealed a 2021 law taxing POGOs.

Also known as the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, the law prohibits the establishment, operation or conduct of offshore gaming in the Philippines; acceptance of any form of betting for offshore gaming operations, acting as POGO content provider or service provider, creation and operation of a POGO hub or site and the introduction, use or possession of POGO equipment or gaming paraphernalia.

It also bars aiding, protecting or abetting the conduct of prohibited acts, including the registering of POGOS, providing spurious documents, allowing the use of houses, buildings, establishments, vehicles, computer related devices and digital platforms in support of their operations and helping in the exit and entry of persons without travel documents or possessing tampered or fake documents.

The law revokes the POGO licenses previously issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., special economic zone authorities, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Freeport authorities and other government agencies.