A unified inter-agency enforcement framework has been adopted to strengthen the implementation of the nationwide ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), aiming to tighten prosecutions and prevent illegal operators from resurfacing despite the prohibition.
Under the Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), government agencies adopted unified rules implementing Executive Order (EO) No. 74, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2024 directive banning POGOs, and Republic Act (RA) No. 12312 or the “POGO Ban Act of 2025.”
The SOP consolidates EO 74, RA 12312, and 15 other laws and department issuances into a single enforcement framework covering intelligence gathering, operations, evidence handling, prosecution, asset preservation, and victim protection involving illegal POGO activities and illegal gambling licensees (IGLs).
Under the SOP, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) will serve as the principal coordinating agency, while the Department of Justice (DOJ) will embed prosecutors early in case buildup to improve case quality and strengthen prosecutions.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will provide financial and corporate intelligence, including efforts to trace proceeds from illicit activities.
The SOP also formalizes procedures for managing seized POGO-related assets and directs the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide temporary shelter for victims, ensure the non-criminalization of trafficked persons, and facilitate access to witness protection.
The SOP implements RA 12312, signed in 2025, which criminalized offshore gaming operations and prohibited the establishment and operation of POGO hubs and related facilities.
Moreover, it also operationalizes EO 74, issued in November 2024, which ordered the shutdown of POGO operations over national security concerns and links to crimes such as human trafficking, money laundering, online scams, kidnapping, and other transnational offenses.
Despite the nationwide POGO ban first announced by the president during his 2024 State of the Nation Address, authorities have reported continued illegal operations by rogue POGO groups, prompting tighter inter-agency coordination and enforcement measures.
“They come at a crucial time, because POGOs are an ever-evolving menace, deeply enmeshed in transnational crime networks and all too capable of reappearing under new names, new fronts and new methods each time they are struck, unless government remains vigilant, coordinated and relentless,” Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said on April 22 at Malacañang during the signing of the inter-agency guidelines implementing the nationwide POGO ban.
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