Palace rolls out unified SOP to strengthen crackdown on banned offshore gaming operators.
 

Key Points

New inter-agency SOP targets rebranded illegal POGO operations

Framework merges 15 laws and EO 74 into one enforcement plan

53,700 licenses revoked and 2,300 foreign workers deported since 2024
 

The Philippine government has introduced a consolidated enforcement framework aimed at preventing the re-emergence of banned offshore gaming operators, as reported by BusinessMirror.

Malacañang announced the signing of a unified Inter-Agency Standard Operating Procedure designed to stop illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators from resurfacing under new identities or corporate structures. The move reinforces Republic Act No. 12312, also known as the POGO Ban Act.

Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto warned that while significant progress has been made since the ban took effect, enforcement agencies continue to face attempts by illegal operators to reorganize and operate through alternative channels.

The newly adopted SOP brings together 15 existing laws and departmental directives into a single operational framework, including Executive Order No. 74. Authorities say the plan establishes clearer coordination among agencies, standardizes investigative procedures and strengthens prosecution mechanisms to address evolving threats tied to offshore gaming.

The crackdown follows sweeping actions ordered in 2024 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who pushed for a total prohibition of POGOs due to rising criminal cases and social concerns linked to the sector. Since then, regulators have revoked 53,700 offshore gaming employment permits and deported 2,300 foreign nationals connected to closed operations.

Recto said the government intends to continuously update its enforcement tools to ensure the law remains effective against increasingly sophisticated networks.

Officials emphasized that the updated framework is meant not only to shut down illegal operators but also to dismantle the broader systems that allow such enterprises to reappear.

 

 

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