Philippines Permanently Bans Offshore Gaming, Cutting a Hub for Asia-Facing Live Baccarat
The Anti-POGO Act of 2025, signed October 23, 2025, permanently outlawed offshore gaming operators. Manila's casinos have since reported steep VIP declines.
At a Glance
- Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, signed October 23, 2025
- Cancels all POGO licences, work permits and visas; offshore gaming now unlawful under the Anti-Money Laundering Act
- Okada Manila 2025 GGR: PHP27.8 billion, down 20.1%; VIP volumes down 48.1%
- City of Dreams Manila 2025 GGR: US$455 million, down 15.1%; VIP volumes down 18.3%
The Philippines permanently outlawed offshore gaming with the signing of Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, on October 23, 2025. The law cancels all existing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator licences, work permits and visas, and classifies offshore gaming as unlawful under the country's Anti-Money Laundering Act (NEXT.io, October 2025).
The statute cements a shutdown that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. first ordered by executive directive in November 2024, with effect from January 1, 2025, and that a government task force spent 2025 enforcing (iGaming Business, 2025).
The Fallout at Manila's Tables
The licensed land-based casinos that depended on overlapping customer flows have felt it. Okada Manila's gross gaming revenue fell 20.1% year-on-year to PHP27.8 billion in 2025, including a 48.1% drop in VIP volumes. City of Dreams Manila's GGR fell 15.1% to US$455 million, with VIP volumes down 18.3% (Inside Asian Gaming, February 2026).
The effect reached the supply chain too. The Philippines' share of Asia's roughly US$153 billion gaming-equipment market fell to about 6.2%, against earlier projections of 15%, according to Kangwon Land executive Chang Nam (World Casino Directory, 2025).
Why Live Baccarat Players Should Care
POGO compounds had been a significant hub for live-dealer studios streaming baccarat to players elsewhere in Asia. Their closure removes capacity from the offshore live-baccarat supply at the same time as Manila's high-roller baccarat customer base thins out. Cambodia's announcement in September 2026 that it will suspend casino-streamed online gambling from October (see our separate report) tightens the same squeeze from the other direction.
The direction of travel across Southeast Asia is toward fewer, more regulated live studios — which is precisely the model the UAE has just adopted with a licensed Abu Dhabi studio.
Why It Matters for Baccarat Players
Grey-market live baccarat streamed from Southeast Asia is shrinking, and the regulated studios in Europe, the Americas and now the Gulf are where the product is heading. Players who want Asian-studio tables should look to operators carrying licensed content from Live88, Evolution's Asian studios and Pragmatic Play.
Where to Play
Both carry licensed Asian-studio live baccarat (Live88 Bombay Club; Evolution's Asian-language tables). Links are affiliate links; see our full casino comparison for US-player status and terms.
Sources
- NEXT.io: Complete POGO ban comes into effect in Philippines (October 2025)
- iGaming Business: Philippine task force begins POGO shutdown (2025)
- World Casino Directory: Philippines market faces sharp decline after POGO ban (2025)
Editor's note: Operator GGR and VIP figures are company disclosures relayed by Inside Asian Gaming; the equipment-market share is one executive's estimate via trade press, not an official statistic.