A bill would bring to an end the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators segment for good
The Philippines has had a love-hate relationship with online gambling, and it now seems to be heading back toward the negative side. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has proposed legislation to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) from doing business in the country, noting increased criminal activity connected to the enterprise.
“The main goal is to outlaw and prohibit offshore gaming operations in the country. While the POGO industry has brought in revenue and jobs, the country has grappled with a surge in POGO-related crimes, raising concerns about the overall impact on the industry,” said Gatchalian last Friday in a statement.
Senate Bill No. 2689 was introduced on May 21st and seeks to rescind offshore gambling taxability authorized by Republic Act 11590, enacted in 2021 by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Gatchalian also noted many examples of online fraud and human trafficking cases associated with POGO providers that are of concern in the Senate.
This includes last May’s police raid, where approximately 1,000 foreigners and 100 Filipinos were ‘rescued’ at Clark Freeport Zone, and another that involved about 2,700 suspected human trafficking victims in Las Piñas. Authorities also discovered a ‘torture chamber’ and illegal massage parlors used for prostitution in a separate raid in Pasay City last October.
In another incident, an escaped Vietnamese victim tipped off authorities in the recent “POGO Mayor” case, resulting in police raiding an establishment in Bamban, Tarlac.
“Various atrocities attributed to the industry have generated public outcry for a ban on the industry, further intensified by economic costs brought by such operations. Beyond the financial impact, the rise in human trafficking and online scams linked to POGOs is a moral failing we must address,” added Gatchalian.
A wider ban on all forms of gambling has been proposed by Senate President Francis Escudero, who commented, “I prefer to ban everything to get rid of gambling in the Philippines.”
