Last updated on November 9th, 2024 at 04:10 pm
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 74 on Tuesday. According to pay per head solutions experts, the EO banned all offshore gambling operations in the country. Thus, it eliminates the operations of internet gaming licensees and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
The executive order mandates an immediate halt to all offshore gambling operations due to public concerns about crime and exploitation. Citing public safety and national security threats, the decree goes after legal and illicit operations.
Outweighing the economic benefits, the Department of Finance claims that offshore gambling has far-reaching negative consequences, such as an increase in crime and societal instability. President Marcos emphasized that the government’s primary duties are to protect citizens, uphold the rule of law, maintain public order, and ensure social integrity.
Offshore Gambling Operations Banned in the Philippines
Executive Order 74 creates two task forces to handle the ban’s implementation and its financial effects. The TWG on Employment Recovery and Reintegration will assist displaced Filipino workers.
The Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will work together as a task force to help employees find new careers by allowing them to learn new skills. Multiple government departments, including the Treasury, Trade and Industry, and Social Welfare Affairs, will provide full support.
The TWG on Anti-Illegal Offshore Gaming Operations will work to eliminate all gaming operations, legal or illegal. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, with the Department of Justice as co-chair, will investigate, charge offenders, and expel foreign nationals involved in illicit gambling.
Furthermore, the second team will coordinate closely with neighborhood watch groups and other agencies to monitor things as they happen.
Removing Existing Offshore Networks
The Anti-Money Laundering Council, among many others, will collaborate with the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation to carry out the crackdown. These authorities will seek to dismantle existing offshore gambling networks and prevent the formation of new ones.
The Department of Tourism will monitor businesses to ensure compliance with the rules. The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will collaborate with homeowners’ organizations to curb gaming activities in residential areas.
The Philippine Senate voted resoundingly “yes” on EO 74. Senators Joel Villanueva and Sherwin Gatchalian praised the president’s decision, noting that POGOs fuel criminal activity and unrest. According to Villanueva, legislative initiatives seeking a permanent prohibition on offshore gaming align with EO 74.
Proposed laws to combat online gambling, including the Anti-POGO Act (Senate Bill No. 2752) and the Anti-Online Gambling Act (Senate Bill No. 1281), are being considered in the Senate. For EO 74 to take effect, a post in the Official Gazette was necessary. With that out of the way, PAGCOR and the IRS will move quickly to collect any unpaid fees or taxes related to offshore gambling.
With the expectation of quick compliance, the government hopes this prohibition will protect vulnerable people, decrease instances of organized crime, and improve public safety. In the first half of 2023, 41,000 arrests were made related to illegal gambling in the Philippines.
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