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The Philippine government has approved new enforcement rules for the national ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, giving agencies one shared framework for action.
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The Philippines has added a formal enforcement structure to its POGO ban, with several government bodies agreeing on standard operating procedures for intelligence, operations, prosecution and asset recovery.
The Philippine News Agency said the SOPs combine two POGO ban orders with 15 other laws and department orders into “one omnibus action plan.” The framework covers evidence handling, asset preservation, intelligence gathering, criminal cases and coordinated law enforcement work.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto witnessed the signing and said authorities would not allow offshore gaming operations to return. Officials described the rules as the final step in ending the POGO sector, which had operated under regulation since 2016 and mainly served offshore gamblers.
The policy turn came after years of concern over links between some operators and criminal activity. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed an order in November 2024 banning offshore gaming due to national security and public order risks. The government implemented the ban by December 2024, then locked it into law in 2025 through the Anti-POGO Act.
Licensed operators had already shut down before the SOPs arrived, according to officials. Agencies will now focus on illegal operators, case building, asset recovery and blocking any return of the offshore gaming model.
The rules also include work on victim assistance through interagency cooperation. That gives the government a single structure for enforcement and support across the country, instead of separate actions by different offices.