The Senate is pushing forward several legislative proposals aimed at permanently banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
This move continues despite an existing executive order from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM) that limits the operations of POGOs until the end of 2024.
According to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, enacting a law to prohibit POGOs is essential to ensure the ban remains in place regardless of any change in administration.
"Kahit na lumabas yung Executive Order in the next two weeks, itong batas na ito hindi na papayagan ang mga POGOs bumalik pa dito sa ating bansa at idedefine naming maigi kung ano ba 'yung mga tawag sa POGOs, ano ba yung mga POGOs, ano ba yung mga negosyong kadugtong sa POGOs, isasama namin sa batas 'yon para institutionalized na siya," the Senator explained in a press briefing.
"Kahit sino mang presidenteng pumasok o maging presidente natin hindi na pwedeng payagan ang PGOs dahil violation," he added.
The Senator also highlighted the growing concern over e-gaming platforms, where the players are predominantly Filipinos. There are proposals to regulate or even ban these platforms due to fears that they could lead to widespread gambling addiction, similar to what happened with e-sabong or online cockfighting.
Despite the government's substantial revenue from POGOs, with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) generating ₱22 billion and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) collecting ₱12 billion, lawmakers are studying whether the long-term social costs outweigh the financial gains.
Additionally, the Senate is looking into whether special exemptions should be granted to Economic Zones hosting special Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms that serve foreign POGO operators but do not accept bets locally.
Gatchalian's committee is conducting a thorough review of these issues to ensure that the proposed legislation will address both economic and social concerns effectively.
