Philippines

The Philippines has completed one of the most sweeping reversals in Asian gambling regulation in years. Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) — licensed by PAGCOR to serve gambling customers outside the country, mostly in China — once occupied more office space in Metro Manila than the entire business process outsourcing sector. Following Senate hearings that exposed links to human trafficking, fraud and organised crime, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced a total ban in his July 2024 State of the Nation address; Executive Order 74 followed in November 2024, and Republic Act 12312, the Anti-POGO Act, was signed into law in October 2025, permanently criminalising the sector.

By December 31, 2024, PAGCOR confirmed all 42 licensed POGOs and 18 authorised service providers had had their licences cancelled and 304 operating sites nationwide closed. The Department of Justice declared the country "POGO-free" in April 2026, while acknowledging enforcement has now shifted from closure to ongoing policing against any operators attempting to resurface under new branding. Domestically, PAGCOR has pivoted toward Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs) — casino and online gaming licences serving Filipino customers only — with 61 PIGO licences issued as of early 2025, alongside a broader "domestic-first" regulatory strategy built around integrated resorts and tourism-linked gaming rather than offshore hubs.