Legislation to ban online gambling filed in the Philippines

Joel Villanueva, the Majority Leader for the Philippines Senate, filed his proposed Senate Bill 1281 last week. The bill would rescind the nation’s foreign-facing online gambling licensing program and make the delivery of iGaming services a crime punishable by up to six months in prison.

Legislation to ban online gambling filed in the Philippines. The Philippines launched its POGO licensing regime in 2016. It certified over 60 enterprises for the provision of iGaming entertainment to overseas punters. However, the number fell to 26 after the economic slump associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Some of these firms have become associated to obtaining a low-cost workforce through kidnapping of foreign nationals. PAGCor recently rescued over 180 people who had been made to labor for little or no pay.

Legislation to ban online gambling filed in the Philippines. A 19-year-old student in Davao de Oro Province was arrested in October after running up an untenable debt of approximately $8,680 from online cock-fighting wagers.

Villanueva filed a bill to ban online gambling in the Philippines. The bill would also abandon the POGO licensing regime. Anyone found guilty of gambling over the Internet would face six months in prison and a fine of up to $8,600.