The Philippines beefs up framework to back POGO ban

(AsiaGameHub) –   The Philippines government has introduced a fresh set of standardized guidelines aimed at supporting authorities in implementing the countrywide prohibition on offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for carrying out the POGO ban were signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto during a ceremony in Manila, with the goal of enhancing inter-agency collaboration and providing more robust legal resources.

These SOPs merge two existing POGO ban directives, plus 15 additional laws and departmental orders, into a single comprehensive action plan.

Recto said: “These SOPs will transform our approach—from simply shutting down hubs to preserving assets, seizing illicit resources, securing convictions, protecting victims, and severing these criminal enterprises from the financial and corporate networks that sustain them.”

In July 2024, the Philippines stopped issuing licenses for POGO operations following President Ferdinand Marcos’ announcement in his 2024 State of the Nation Address that he would ban them, citing their links to criminal activities.

At the time, he stated that POGOs had “ventured into illegal activities beyond gaming, such as financial fraud, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, and even murder,” and a deadline of the end of 2024 was set for these operations to close.

However, it was only earlier this month that Philippine authorities declared the country had fully eliminated the final remnants of these offshore operators.

Upon signing the declaration, Recto described POGOs as “an ever-evolving menace that could easily reappear unless the government remains vigilant, coordinated, and relentless.”

The Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) is tasked with leading enforcement against POGOs, supported by the Department of Justice, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The latter two agencies will handle financial and corporate intelligence related to the proceeds of illicit activities linked to POGOs.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will also provide assistance to POGO victims through witness protection and support for trafficked persons found working within these operations.

Recto praised the SOPs for ensuring that laws against POGOs are not “blunt instruments” with little real-world impact. Instead, he said they will be “precise and sophisticated tools, capable of completely dismantling illegal POGO operations and bringing all those behind them to justice.”

In November 2025, PAOCC stated it was still pursuing members of dismantled POGO networks and overseeing 55 cases related to the outlawed operations.

“PAOCC remains persistent in seeking justice for the victims who endured detention, threats, and exploitation inside the compounds,” the organization said at the time.

“These individuals were not mere figures in an investigation—they were human beings whose dignity was violated, and whose stories, courage, and cooperation made this victory possible.”