Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed Senate Bill 2689, which aims to repeal the taxability of offshore gaming established under Republic Act 115901. The bill was reported on June 11, 2024, the same day minority lawmakers in the House of Representatives filed a separate measure to outlaw and criminalize all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) operations1.
The House bill, filed by the three-member Makabayan bloc led by Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers), revokes all licenses granted to POGOs and local gaming agents engaged in offshore gaming operations1. The proposed Anti-POGO Act of 2024 also classifies POGO operations as a predicate crime for money laundering and human trafficking and imposes penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of P10 million1.
In a statement on Tuesday, Castro described POGOs as a "social menace" and a source of "unimaginable corruption," saying that operators have routinely violated Philippine laws on money laundering, tax evasion and other serious offenses1.
"POGOs have brought with them a swarm of crimes," Castro said, citing police raids uncovering instances of rape, murder, illegal recruitment, human trafficking, prostitution, illegal detention and other offenses.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, has been a vocal critic of the POGO industry due to the surge of crimes that have been linked to POGO hubs1. Senators have renewed calls to ban all POGOs in the country after a recent raid on a POGO compound in Porac, Pampanga yielded an alleged uniform of the Chinese military1.
| Measure | Chamber | Lead filer | Core provision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Bill 2689 | Senate | Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian | Repeals taxability of offshore gaming under RA 115901 |
| Anti-POGO Act of 2024 | House of Representatives | Rep. France Castro (Makabayan bloc) | Revokes all POGO and gaming agent licenses; penalties up to 10 years and P10 million1 |
What it means for players
The two bills target the operators and the tax framework, not individual bettors. Senate Bill 2689 would remove the taxability of offshore gaming that RA 11590 established, while the House bill would revoke the licenses that let POGOs and local gaming agents serve customers from abroad1. Neither text, as reported, sets out new penalties for players who use offshore sites, and no change to the legal position of players is described1. Both measures are filed bills, not enacted law, so the licensing and tax rules in force on June 11, 2024 remain as they were until a bill passes and takes effect1. The status of POGO operations and what is legal for players in the Philippines is set out in our guide to gambling in the Philippines and our page on the Philippines' ban on offshore gaming. How offshore winnings are treated across the region is covered in Are Winnings From Offshore Gambling Sites Taxed in Asia?, and the wider legal picture in Gambling Laws in Asia and Online Gambling in Asia.
What happens next
Both bills have been filed and reported; no committee vote, hearing date or floor schedule is given in the report1. The report does not state whether either measure has the support needed to pass, and no date for further action has been reported1.
