PHILIPPINES: POGOs Now Illegal

Posted by Asia Views | Oct 29, 2025 | 0 |

PhilStarGlobal-Oct 29

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure banning Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). The measure, officially titled as Republic Act 12312, effectively repealed the law that taxed POGOs—the measure that recognized offshore gaming in the Philippines in the first place. “It shall be prohibited for any person or entity to conduct or offer offshore gaming as defined under this law,” the measure stated. Acts considered punishable by this law include the establishment of POGO operations, the acceptance of bets in offshore gaming, the creation of physical POGO hubs in the Philippines and more. The measure also punishes those who aid and abet perpetrators. The licenses of POGO hubs that were operating before the law have also been effectively revoked, including those that are in special economic zones. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. is officially no longer allowed to issue POGO licenses. Special work permits issued for POGOs have also been revoked and authorities are no longer allowed to issue such documents to possible offshore gaming employees coming into the country. Under the new law, the Department of Labor and Employment is tasked with transitioning Filipino workers affected by the POGO ban into new jobs. Those found violating the law can face imprisonment of up to eight years and a fine as high as P15,000,000. The second offense can get offenders up to 10 years in prison, with a maximum fine of P30,000,000. The third offense can land an offender 12 years in prison with a fine of P50,000,000 maximum. Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who led the Senate probe into POGOs, lauded the passing of the measure, thanking the POGO victims who came forward to share their stories. POGOs began to proliferate heavily in the Philippines during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Authorities would regularly raid POGOs and find evidence of human trafficking and scam operations.

Marcos would eventually ban POGOs in an executive order, which is further solidified by the new law. Read more at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/10/29/2483377/pogos-now-illegal

About The Author

Asia Views

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Neigborhood Watch

Subscribe To Newsletter

POINTS TO PONDER

EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

PHILIPPINES: POGOs Now Illegal

Share this:

Related

About The Author

Asia Views

Related Posts

JAPAN WARILY WELCOMES BACK INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS

INDONESIA: Island Nations Band Together To Face Existential Threat

MALAYSIA-ANWAR OPEN TO SPECIAL ROLE FOR POST-RETIREMENT DR MAHATIR

VIETNAM: German Companies in Vietnam Look to Diversify Supply Chain Due to Covid

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Neigborhood Watch

TRENDING

Subscribe To Newsletter

POINTS TO PONDER