Philippines Mulls Over Online Casino Ban as POGOs Evade the Law

Philippine lawmakers are calling for a prohibition on online casinos amid instances of non-compliance from the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). Although POGOs were banned in 2024, some have continued to operate regardless, violating the country’s law.

Senator Hontiveros Asks the President to Stop Online Gaming

Senator Risa Hontiveros called for a prohibition of online gambling amid the country’s continued failure to weed out online casinos. She asked President Ferdinand Marcos’ administration to take action and shutter online gambling completely, mirroring a proposal made in 2024.

POGOs, for context, were once a cornerstone of the Philippines’ gambling industry. The operation of such gambling businesses was legal and attracted many foreigners to the country.

President Ferdinand Marcos, however, opted to ban POGOs amid increasing fraud-related concerns. He signed Executive Order 74, vowing to ban offshore operators from the Philippines by the end of 2024. This was prompted by suspected ties between the POGO sector and organized crime which necessitated swift and drastic action.

The government, however, has so far had mixed success in stopping POGOs from operating.

The POGO Crackdown Has Yielded Mixed Results

Despite President Marcos’ strict stance on POGOs, the crackdown has so far failed to address all operations. While the government has been working hard to deport the thousands of foreigners who worked within the POGO sector, many still remain in the country.

While the authorities have succeeded in cracking down on a few POGO hubs in Manila and deported the workers, many other foreigners have dispersed into smaller groups and hidden in residential areas to avoid the law. Certain groups have even strayed from the Manila locale and hidden in areas with laxer law enforcement. According to Hontiveros, the head honchos behind POGO operations are still at large and hiding in the Philippines.

To make matters worse, some of those have continued to host their online casinos despite the prohibition, resulting in the much-feared “guerilla” operations scenario.

Further Action Is Needed

Senator Hontiveros therefore believes that further legal action is needed to address the issue and fix a potential legal loophole in President Marcos’ executive order. The loophole, for context, allows online gambling to be conducted within PAGCOR-operated establishments and licensed casinos with existing junket agreements.

Hontiveros emphasized that POGOs might thus reinvent themselves and hide under the PAGCOR’s jurisdiction.

In the meantime, the Philippine government warned about new scams that lure Filipinos with promises of free vacations only to force them to work in scam factories in neighboring countries.

PAGCOR Shuts Down Two Casinos

In other news, Alejandro Tengco, the PAGCOR’s chair and chief executive officer, recently confirmed that the corporation is closing two underperforming casinos as part of its rationalization plan.

These included Casino Filipino Cebu and Casino Filipino Tagum, both of which incurred significant losses. The PAGCOR promised to redeploy the affected employees.