Wala Nang POGO? DOJ Says PH Has Cleared Out the Hubs

The Department of Justice said the Philippines no longer has any operating Philippine offshore gaming operator hubs, with Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida saying the government has already enforced the national ban. In short: wala nang official POGO operations, according to the DOJ.

Vida told reporters that 80 percent of operational hubs were shut down within just one month of the official deadline. He said the government’s position is firm, stressing that there are no official POGOs left and that illegal operations are also not supposed to be tolerated anywhere in the country.

The DOJ added that authorities are still monitoring for possible illegal activity even after the closures. That means the crackdown is not being treated as finished business yet, because any unauthorized operation that resurfaces can still trigger enforcement action.

Officials linked the policy to broader concerns over community safety, transnational crime, and other nontraditional security risks that had long been associated with the industry. The government also sees the ban as part of a wider effort to address economic and public-order issues tied to POGO hubs.

For now, the message from the DOJ is simple: the legal POGO era in the Philippines is over, period. But the watch continues, and authorities say they will keep acting on any reports that suggest a comeback attempt behind the scenes.

Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/04/05/news/national/vida-declares-philippines-pogo-free-after-crackdown/2314279