The Philippine National Police warned on Monday that some foreign nationals are attempting to revive Philippine offshore gaming operator activities despite the nationwide ban. PNP acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said individuals are trying to get around the law by setting up underground hubs.
“We are seeing a trend in which some foreign nationals continue to try to set up underground operations despite the national ban. We are coordinating with the BI, NBI, and DFA to further step up our monitoring,” Nartatez said in a statement.
The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is coordinating with foreign counterparts to investigate whether illegal operators have links to larger criminal groups outside the country.
Nartatez said “Currently, there are strong indicators that some illegal Pogos or IGL operators are connected to larger transnational cybercrime groups. This is not just simple illegal gambling, it is likely to involve online fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and other cyber-enabled crimes.”
The PNP is intensifying its efforts to shut down the illegal Pogo hubs, particularly through intelligence and search operations ordered by President Marcos. Nartatez said the directive is clear. “The instruction to us is clear Identify, validate and shut down all the remaining Pogos, particularly those that hide behind the names of BPOs or IT solution companies. We have been complying, and we will continue to do so until all of them are gone.”
Nartatez issued a warning to groups still attempting to run Pogo-like operations. “If there are still individuals or groups planning to run Pogo-like operations, they should stop because we will find you, we will shut you down, and we will file the strongest possible charges,” he said.
The PNP said it will not allow the Philippines to be used for illegal activities that undermine national security, the economy, and the country’s reputation.
President Bongbong Marcos declared a Pogo ban during his State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2024, citing crimes linked to the industry such as human trafficking, online scams, and torture. Four months later, he issued Executive Order No. 74, which imposed an immediate ban on offshore and internet gaming. On Oct. 23 this year, Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12312 or the Anti-Pogo Act of 2025, making all offshore gaming operations unlawful.
