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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
BANNING AND DECLARING ILLEGAL PHILIPPINE OFFSHORE GAMING 
OPERATORS (POGOs) AND OPERATIONS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 “In Defense, Promotion and Preservation of Moral Values, Human Dignity, and 
Honest Labor.” 
This Bill seeks to ban, prohibit and declare illegal the operation of Philippine 
Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). 
Gambling is an evil that undermines the social and economic growth of the 
nation, a social menace that dissipates the energy and resources of the people. It 
promotes laziness and nurtures a false hope of advancement by luck rather than 
hard work. The Bible warns: "He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he 
that giveth to the rich shall surely come to want” [Proverbs 22:16, KJV]. 
We are a nation and a people that believe in God, in law and order, and in 
honest labor, hence, law must conform with and submit to the higher principles of 
morality, honesty and decency. 
Thousands of mainland Chinese nationals have taken up, and continue to 
take up, residence all over the Philippines because they have been brought, and are 
being brought, in by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) which provide 
online gambling services to foreigners. This is ironic, to say the least, because while 
online gambling is illegal in China (which does not, generally, believe in God, 
being a communist country) we made it legal through the operations of these 
POGOs (when our country has been identified as the only Christian nation in Asia, 
of which we are proud of). With this, perhaps we, Filipinos, having made legal the 
gambling activities of POGOs should also be proud if our country is to be called the 
only Christian nation as Gambling Nest in Asia. 
September 21, 2022
5:37 pm
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The justification given by the government on the matter is the “huge” revenue 
generated from the operation of POGOs. But such expected revenue is just a drop if 
compared to the revenue lost from graft and corruption. If only the Constitutional 
mandates and existing pertinent laws are honestly and fully enforced, implemented, 
observed, and followed, we would not need the revenues from POGOs and perhaps 
even from the PAGCOR itself which are all derived from gambling. If all taxes, fees, 
duties, imposts, charges, dues, and the like, due to the government are correctly and 
properly assessed and honestly collected and paid in full; if such taxes, fees, duties, 
imposts, charges, dues, and the like, collected all go to the government coffer; if all 
government projects and expenditures are given the correct and honest budget; if 
only government projects that are honestly necessary are implemented in all honesty 
and strictly according to specifications; and if no part or portion of the budgets for 
such government projects and expenditures are given to or taken by whomsoever, 
government funds would be sufficient to support itself and provide for the basic 
needs of the people even in times of national emergencies. 
We have declared in the very Preamble of our Constitution that we are 
imploring the aid of Almighty God in order to build a just and humane society and 
establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations. How then can 
we in conscience implore the aid of Almighty God in gambling? God is not a God of 
chance but a God of design, of truth, of purpose and of assurance. 
Any form of gambling ought to be outlawed and eradicated as it springs from 
the love of money, and God has this to say: "the love of money is the root of all evil” [1 
Timothy 6:10]. Any form of gambling thrives on cheating, deception, fraud and 
dishonesty, and leads our people to covetousness and greed, and teach the character 
traits which all good citizen should disdain - laziness, dishonesty, fraud and deceit. Let 
us hear and listen to what the Lord said: "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and 
a curse. A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God and a curse if you 
will not obey" [Deuteronomy 11:26-28] 
Let us accept the reality that gambling does not lift the people from the 
quagmire of poverty but rather pull them down deeper into slavery and 
uselessness. 
The continued operation of POGOs is a public exhibition and a confession of 
frustration over, and inability to properly address, our pitiful national economic 
condition. To argue that we need the revenues generated from POGOs (and 
PAGCOR for that matter) is to admit the helplessness of the national leadership and 
a surrender in bended knees to the rule of the UNARMED enemy of society called 
gambling. Let us hear the prophet Isaiah's warning: "Woe unto them that decree 
unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed”[Isaiah 10:1]. 


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But even setting aside moral and social considerations, we must wake up to 
the realities that these Chinese nationals are making a mockery of our laws, peace 
and order, and to our cherished moral values. Police and NBI records and operations 
show, among others: their rude behavior; 'Chinese-only' restaurants and Chinese 
signages bordering on discrimination; hotels and condominium units used by 
POGOs in their operation are actually sex dens or for online prostitution; and 
kidnapping. Added to these are the issues of taxes on the earnings of POGO 
employees, and their SSS and Pag-Ibig covers. 
In the light of all the foregoing, the immediate passage of this Bill is earnestly 
requested. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
BANNING AND DECLARING ILLEGAL PHILIPPINE OFFSHORE GAMING 
OPERATORS (POGOs) AND OPERATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title.- This Act shall be known as the "Anti-POGO Act of 
2020". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is a declared constitutional principle of 
the state that the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and 
property, and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment 
by all the people of the blessings of democracy. 
It is the policy of the State to ensure the development and protection of the 
spiritual, moral and social well-being of the people, especially the youth, the 
promotion and maintenance of peace, law and order, and the promotion and 
preservation of moral values, human dignity, and honest labor.  
It is therefore declared by the State that "Philippine Offshore Gaming 
Operations" or "POGOs" conducted within the Philippines have increasingly become 
a social menace and a source of unimaginable corruption. It has made a mockery of 
our anti-money laundering, immigration, and tax laws. It has been a source of 
untold criminal offenses and heinous crimes related to the conduct of such 
operations. But most of all, it has displaced hard-working Filipino people in favor of 
foreign workers. It has dissipated the energy and resources of our people and there 
is a need to effectively combat this social menace because of its increasing danger to 
the State and its citizens. 
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SECTION 3. Guiding Principles in Prohibiting POGOs. — "Philippine Offshore 
Gaming Operations" or "POGOs" has become a social menace that in prohibiting 
these activities, the government has been guided by the following principles: 
a. General Welfare Clause. The maintenance of peace and order, the 
protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general welfare are 
essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy. 
b. Crime Prevention. Crime prevention is an increasingly important 
component of national strategies for public welfare, safety and security. The 
prohibition of these type of activities shall immediately curtail violations of 
Immigration laws, Anti-Money Laundering Act, Tax Laws, Kidnapping and Serious 
Illegal 
Detention, 
Murder, 
Bribery, 
Corruption 
of 
Public 
Officials 
and 
Extortion,Human Trafficking, and host of other heinous crimes related to its 
operations. 
c. Money-Laundering Prevention. The prohibition of these type of activities 
will immediately stop any form of money-laundering activities on the part of all 
persons who participates in these activities and will protect our financial system 
from influx of capital from illegal sources. 
d. Vice Prevention. As it is with crime prevention, vice prevention is also an 
important component of national strategies for public welfare, safety and security as 
well as protection of the family as a sacred institution. The prohibition of these type 
of activities shall prevent and curtail at-risk behaviour and escalation of problematic 
behavior of people into or prone to gambling. 
e. Address Immigration Corruption and Filipino Labor Displacement 
Prevention. The prohibition of these type of activities will immediately stop or at the 
very least curtail immigration bribery and corruption due to the influx of foreign 
POGO workers as well as stop as Filipino labor displacement due to opportunities 
that were not created because of POGO activities. It will make room for other 
legitimate and real foreign capital investment in the country worthy of hiring 
Filipino workers. 
SECTION 4. Definitions and Terms. — For this purpose, the following terms or 
words and phrases shall be understood as follows: 
1.  
“Gaming” means participation in gambling events such as but not 
limited to casino games, facilitation of wagers in the operation of 
predicting the outcomeand results of a sporting event and/or gaming 
event. 


 
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2.  
“Offshore Gaming” refers online games of chance or sporting events 
via the Internet using a network and software or program, exclusively 
to offshore authorized players. It is broadly categorized into three (3) 
groups: (a) E-casino; (b) Purely Sportsbetting; and (c) Sportsbetting on 
Regulated Wagering Events or SBRWE. 
3.  
“E-Casino” refers to the operation of Live Casino games or Random 
Number Generator based games. 
4.  
“Sportsbetting” is the acceptance and/or facilitation of wagers in 
operations of predicting the outcome and results of sporting events 
such as football, basketball or any collegiate, amateur or professional 
games. 
5.  
“Sportsbetting on Regulated Wagering Events or SBRWE” is where the 
gaming events are regulated by other jurisdiction or authority, 
including live event audio and visual feeds to customers but are 
regulated by a foreign governing body. 
6. 
"Foreign-based Operators" refers to any person/entities in any foreign 
country that will engage the services of local gaming agent and service 
providers for its offshore gaming operations. 
7.  
"Local Gaming Agent" refers to any person/entity in the Philippines 
who will represent the foreign-based operator in the Philippines. 
8.  
"Gaming Laboratories" refers to any person/entity, whether located in 
the Philippines or not, responsible for the testing of gaming systems 
and software of all offshore gaming operations and Service Providers, 
and ensuring that the same pass technical standards established and 
accepted by gaming jurisdictions worldwide. 
9. 
 "Service Provider" refers to any person/entity in the Philippines who 
provides components of offshore gaming operations in the Philippines 
such as, but not limited to the following: 
a. Customer Relations Services Provider refers to any person/entity 
which provide customer service to the players and cater to their 
various needs through direct contact and interaction by means 
of any communication, remote or otherwise. 
b. Strategic Support Provider refers to any person/entity that 
develop or improve the business process of any offshore gaming 
operations. These persons or entities usually operate as the back-


 
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office support of the offshore gaming operations and do not have 
direct contact with players. 
c. IT Support Provider refers to any person/entity that provide 
technical support to any offshore gaming operations, such as but 
not limited to diagnosing and solving software faults, IT 
maintenance, installation and configuration of computer systems, 
placement and management of player accounts, creation and 
programming of IT system including supply of hardware and 
software for their use. Any form of IT services, except for 
providing internet connection, that will facilitate offshore gaming 
operation shall be considered an IT Support Provider. 
d. Gaming Software Platform Provider refers to any person/entity 
that provides proprietary products either as gaming systems 
such as sportsbook for Sportsbetting or games itself such as RNG 
based games for E-casino. This includes, but not limited to, any 
software program developed by the person/entity conducting 
offshore gaming operations. 
e. Live Studio and Streaming Provider refers to entities that provide 
real time streaming of authorized gaming activities coming from 
live studios and/or licensed gaming venues via the internet to 
the website of offshore gaming operations. 
f. Special class of BPO refers to entities that are servicing gaming 
operators abroad and do not in any way handle betting but 
purely product marketing and customer relations. 
10.  
"Philippine-based Offshore Gaming Operator/s" or POGO/POGOs 
refers to any person/entities in the Philippines who will either conduct 
offshore gaming operations themselves or engage the services of 
service providers as defined under par. 9 of this Section. 
11.  
"POGO Hub" is a complex which houses any of the operations in the 
Philippines, as well as other logistical, administrative and support 
services for offshore gaming operations. 
12.  
"Gaming Paraphernalia" means apparatus, furnishing or accessories 
used in or necessary in the conduct of gaming operations. 
 


 
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SECTION 5. Prohibitive Acts. — It shall be prohibited for any person or 
entities, to conduct online games of chance or sporting events via the internet using a 
network and software or program, exclusively to offshore authorized players, within 
Philippine territory. This prohibition includes the following acts: 
A. Facilitation of any offshore gaming thru any means or device within 
Philippine territory. 
B. Acceptance of any form of betting for purposes of offshore gaming 
operations. 
C. Acting as a Service provider for offshore gaming operations in the 
Philippines as defined under Par. 9 of Section 4 of this Act; 
 
D. Creation of a POGO hub in the Philippines; 
E. Establishment of a gaming laboratory in the Philippines or providing 
services as a gaming laboratory; 
 
F.  Possession of gaming paraphernalia. 
G. Aiding in, protecting or abetting, the conduct of any act or activity 
prohibited or declared illegal under this Act. 
SECTION 6. Licensed Foreign-based Operators/ Local Gaming Agents/ POGOs. — 
Any person/entities who have been licensed by the Philippine government as 
Foreign-based Operators, Local Gaming Agents, POGOs, Service Providers, for 
purposes of offshore gaming operations in the Philippines, thru PAGCOR, or any 
other agencies,ecozones or otherwise, are deemed withdrawn, revoked or denied 
upon the approval of this Act. 
SECTION 7. Predicate Offense. — Violation of the provisions of this Act shall 
constitute"unlawful activity" under Rep. Act No. 9160 ("Anti-Money Laundering Act 
of 2001, As Amended" or "AMLA") and shall be subject to money laundering offense 
and prosecution in accordance with law. For AMLA purpose: 
A. Any person/entity with knowledge any offshore gaming operations in the 
Philippines is considered a "covered person." 
B. Transactions entered into with the use of any foreign currency for purposes 
of offshore gaming operation in the Philippines is considered a "suspicious 
transaction." 
SECTION 8. Ban on Foreign Employment and Human Trafficking  Offense. — It 
shall be prohibited for any person/entity to recruit, obtain, hire, provide, offer, 


 
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transport, transfer, maintain, harbor, or receive any alien, for purposes of 
employment or training or apprenticeship on offshore gaming operations in the 
Philippines.  
To recruit, obtain, hire, provide, offer, transport, transfer, maintain, harbor, or 
receive a person by any means, including those done under the pretext of 
employment or training or apprenticeship, for the purposes of offshore gaming 
operations in the Philippines shall be considered unlawful under Section 4 of Rep. 
Act No. 10364 ("Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012") and shall be 
punishable under such law. 
SECTION 9. Responsibility of the Bureau of Immigration! DOI F. and other 
agencies. — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is hereby prohibited 
from issuing any work permit to any person for purposes of offshore gaming 
operations. The Bureau of Immigration is likewise prohibited from issuing any visa 
or Alien Employment Permit (AEP) for offshore gaming operations in the 
Philippines. This prohibition to issue any visa or work permit is likewise provided to 
any agency of the government tasked by law to issue visa or work permit. 
SECTION 10. Implementing Agency.- An Inter-Agency Task Force — POGOs 
(IATF-POGOs), which shall have the exclusive power and function to administer 
and implement the provisions of this Act, is hereby created. The IAC-SSB shall be 
chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Justice and the Secretary of 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as Vice Chairperson. The 
IATF-POGOs shall have the following as members: 
a. Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF); 
b. Secretary of the Department of Information, Communication & Technology 
(DICT) 
c. PAGCOR Chairman 
 
d. SEC Chairman 
 
e. AMLC Chairman 
f. A representative from a nongovernment organization (NGO) involved in 
public welfare nominated by DOF in consultation with the concerned 
NGOs; The Department Secretaries may designate their Undersecretaries as 
their authorized representatives to the IATF-POGOs. 
 


 
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SECTION 11. Powers of the IATF-POGOs.- In addition to the respective 
powers of each government agency composing the IATF-POGOs under the law, the 
IATF-POGOs shall have the following powers: 
 
A. To investigate any person/entity for violation of this Act; 
B. To issue any orders addressed to any appropriate authority or persons in 
violation of this Act, including cease-and-desist orders to any 
persons/entity for violation of this Act; 
C. To formulate and implement such measures as maybe necessary and 
justified under this Act to prevent offshore gaming operations in the 
Philippines; 
D. To enlist the assistance of any branch, department, bureau, office, agency 
or instrumentality of the government, including GOCCs, in preventing 
any offshore gaming operations in the Philippines, which may include the 
use of its personnel, facilities and resources for the more resolute 
prevention, detection and investigation of offshore gaming operations and 
prosecution of offenders under this Act; 
E. To impose administrative sanctions for the violation of laws, rules, 
regulations, orders and resolutions issued pursuant thereto. 
F. To institute civil forfeiture proceedings and all other remedial proceedings 
through the Department of Justice for any violation of this Act, including 
prosecution of money laundering offenses and other violations under this 
Act; 
G. To receive and take action in respect of any request from foreign  states for 
assistance in their own-offshore gaming operations, as provided under 
this Act; 
 
SECTION 12. Compliance Monitoring – Not later than one (1) year after the 
date of the effectivity of this Act, and annually thereafter, the IATF-POGO shall 
submit to the President of the Philippines and to both Houses of Congress a 
Compliance Monitoring Report on the compliance of the provisions of this Act. The 
report shall contain pertinent information as maybe required by Congress with 
respect to the requirements of this Act. 
 
SECTION 13 Penalties – Except for specific violations and prosecution under 
other laws which already provided specific penalties, violations of the provisions of 
this Act shall be punishable by: 


 
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A. First Offense: Punishable by imprisonment of not less than four (4) years 
nor more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than One Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (Php100,000.00) nor more than Three Hundred Thousand 
Pesos (Php300,000.00), at the discretion of the Court. 
B. Second Offense: Punishable by imprisonment of not less than six (6) years 
nor more than eight (8) years and a fine of not less than Two Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (Php200,000.00) nor more than Five Hundred Thousand 
Pesos (Php500,000.00), at the discretion of the Court. 
C. Third and Succeding Offenses: Punishable by imprisonment of not less 
than seven (7) years nor more than ten (10) years and a fine not less than of 
Five Million Pesos (Php5,000,000.00) nor more than Ten Million Pesos 
(Php10,000,000.00), at the discretion of the Court. 
 
If the offender is a juridical entity, the penalties shall be imposed on the 
entity’s responsible officers, such as but not limited to, the president, chief executive 
officer, general manager, or partner directly responsible thereof. 
 
If the guilty officer is an alien, he shall summarily be deported after serving 
his sentence and shall be forever barred from re-entering the Philippines. 
 
Any person convicted for violation of any provision of this Act shall not be 
subject to probation.  
 
SECTION 14. Liability of Government Employees and Public Officials – If the 
prohibited act is committed by a government employee or public official, he shall, in 
addition to the penalties provided for in this Act, be dismissed from his employment 
and shall be disqualified from re-employment in any government office. In addition, 
all his retirement benefits shall be forfeited in favor of the government. 
 
SECTION 15. Immunity from Prosecution – Any person who serves as a 
witness for the government or provides evidence in a criminal case involving any 
violation of this Act, or voluntarily or by virtue of a subpoena testificandum or duces 
tecum, produces, identifies, or gives testimony on, the documents subject of or 
embraced in such subpoena, may be placed under the Witness Protection Program 
pursuant to Republic Act No. 6981, and shall be immune from criminal prosecution, 
subject to compliance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1732, otherwise 
known as “Decree Providing Immunity from Criminal Prosecution of the 
Government Witnesses” and the pertinent provisions of the Rules of Court. 
 
SECTION 16. Prosecution, Judgment and Forfeiture – Except for specific 
violations and prosecution under other laws which already provided specific 


 
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penalties, prosecution or conviction under this Act is without prejudice to 
prosecution  and punishment under the Revised Penal Code or other existing laws 
 
Upon conviction, all buildings or other structures or facilities, materials, 
equipment and instrument used directly or indirectly in violation of this Act, and the 
proceeds of such illegal act or activity , shall be confiscated and forfeited in favor of 
the government and may be disposed of in accordance with existing laws, rules, and 
regulations.  
 
SECTION 17 Implementing Rules and Regulations – The IATF-POGOs shall 
issue the implementing rules and regulations of this Act, within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act: Provided, that in the event the implementing rules and 
regulations are not promulgated within the specified period, the specific provisions 
of this Act shall immediately be executor. 
 
SECTION 18 Appropriations – The amount necessary to implement the 
provision of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the 
concerned national agencies. Thereafter, such funds may be necessary for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the budgets of the 
concerned national government agencies under the annual General Appropriation 
Act. 
 
SECTION 19 Repealing Clause – For this purpose, Section 10 of the 
Presidential Decree No. 1869 (s. 1983), Rep. Act No. 7922, Rep. Act No. 10083, Rep. 
Act No. 9728, insofar as their mandate, as interpreted under Executive Order No. 13, 
Series of 2017, to issue license to any person or entity for purposes of offshore 
gaming opertations in the Philippines, as well as any agencies, are hereby repealed, 
revoked, and modified accordingly. 
 
Rep. Act No. 9160 (“Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, As amended”) 
insofar as Section 7 of this Act, is hereby amended and modified accordingly. 
 
Rep. Act No. 10364 (“Expanded Anti-trafficking in Person Act of 2012”) 
insofar as Section 8 of this Act, is hereby amended and modified accordingly. 
 
All other laws, decrees, ordinances, administrative orders, rules and 
regulations, or any part thereof, ehich are inconsistent  with this Act are repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 20. Seperability Clause – If for any reason any section or provision of 
this Act, or any portion therof, or the application of such provision or poetion therof 
to any person or entity, group or circumstance is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions of this Act shall not be affected by such 
declaration and shall remain in force and effect. 


 
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SECTION 21. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,