More than a year on from his State of the Nation address that evoked widespread plaudits, the Philippines’ President, Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, has finally formalised the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
It comes as Marcos confirmed the recent signing of Republic Act (RA) 12312, or the ‘Anti-POGO Act of 2025’.
Marcos announced during his State of the Nation address in July 2024 that POGOs would be banned in the country due to crimes associated with POGO hubs, such as human trafficking and torture.
At the time, the Philippines’ President said banning all POGOs would solve many of the problems the Philippines is encountering. With his signature on RA 12312 on October 23, 2025, that ban has come into effect.
RA No. 11590, which previously imposed taxes on both offshore gaming licensees and their service providers operating in the Philippines, has now been repealed as a result.
The Anti-POGO Act was passed by the Senate of the Philippines as Senate Bill No. 2868 on June 9, 2025, and adopted by the House of Representatives as an amendment to House Bill No. 10987 on June 11, 2025.
The new law states: “The State recognises that the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are paramount for the meaningful enjoyment of democracy.
“The State likewise values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.”
While the Anti-POGO Act has now been signed into law, offshore and internet gaming have been banned in the country since November last year, when President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 74 and imposed an immediate ban on the verticals.
Those who violate the new law for the first time will face six to eight years imprisonment and a PhP300,000 to PhP15m fine (approximately €4,400 to €221,000).
A second offence will result in eight years and one day to 10 years imprisonment and a PhP15m to PhP30m fine. A third offence will result in 10 years and one day to 12 years imprisonment and a PhP30m to PhP50m (approximately €442,100 to €737,000).
The maximum penalty under the applicable category will be imposed if the offender is a public official or employee. If the guilty party is foreign, they will serve their sentence and then be deported immediately and permanently banned from re-entering the Philippines.
