The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed on third and final reading a bill that seeks to outlaw Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO)--an industry that has been linked to international crime syndicates.
Receiving 172 affirmative votes during plenary session Tuesday night, June 10 was House Bill (HB) No.10987, or the proposed Act prohibiting all forms of offshore gaming operations in the country.
The measure also provides the penalties for the violation of this ban.
The House's passage of the measure is seen as a reinforcement of President Marcos' directive to close down all POGOs, which he first announced during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024.
Before this, POGOs--which proliferated during the previous Duterte administration--were linked to a wide array of heinous crimes in the country, from money laundering, espionage, cyber hacking, and wiretapping, to violent acts such as murder, kidnapping for ransom, rape, prostitution, and even torture.
Under HB No.10987, all offshore gaming licenses or franchises issued to any person or entity, including gaming agents and service providers, are revoked.
These include offshore gaming licenses or franchises issued by Philipine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), and Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB).
The bill--which is a consolidation of five separate measures--states that it is unlawful for any person or entity to offer or conduct any offshore gaming operation in the country.
This covers the following acts: Facilitate offshore gaming through any means or device; accept any form of betting for offshore gaming operations; operate as a service provider of any component of offshore gaming operations; construct or maintain any operation hub or a structural complex that houses the operations and logistical, administrative and support services for offshore gaming; establish any gaming laboratory or provide services as a gaming laboratory; possess any offshore gaming paraphernalia; and aid, protect or abet the conduct of any of the above-mentioned acts.
It says all visas issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and alien employment permits issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to foreign workers employed by offshore gaming operator are declared canceled.
Any person or entity who violates the provisions of the Act shall be punished as follows.
First offense: Imprisonment of not less than four years but not more than six years and a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P500,000.
For the second offense: Imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than eight years and a fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P1,000,000.
For the third and succeeding offenses: Imprisonment of not less than eight years but not more than 10 years and a fine of not less than P5,000,000 but not more than P10 million.
"Upon conviction, all buildings or other structures or facilities, materials, equipment and instruments used directly or indirectly in violation of the Act, and the proceeds of such illegal offshore gaming operation, except when such properties are owned by innocent third persons, shall be confiscated and forfeited in favor of the government," read HB No.10987.
It also says all POGOs, support providers, local gaming agents, and business process outsourcing providers shalil be required to settle all taxes and other fees due to the government.