The Philippines government has announced that it will shut down 175 Philippine offshore gambling operators (POGOs) and deport the thousands of Chinese nationals that work in the local online gambling industry.
Closures and deportations to begin in October
Since rules were relaxed in 2016, the Philippines has become a hub for online gambling companies that target customers across the globe and particularly those in China where gambling is illegal.
Speaking of the crackdown, justice ministry spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano said:
“The crackdown was triggered by reports of murder, kidnapping and other crimes committed by Chinese nationals against fellow Chinese nationals.”
At one time, POGOs employed as many as 300,000 Chinese workers. However, since pandemic measures and higher taxes came into force, this number has been reduced to around 200,000 with as many as 110,000 locals also employed in the industry.
Many of the 175 companies targeted for closure have already had their license revoked for failing to pay government fees or breaches of local gambling laws yet they continue to operate. Others have expired licenses that they have failed to renew.
The closures are set to start in October as will the deportation of Chinese employees of the companies.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has stated that it fully supports the closures and the deportations and will assist in any way possible. The embassy also added the the Chinese government “firmly opposes and takes tough measures to combat gambling.”
According to the Philippines gambling regulator, there are only 30 fully licensed POGO firms currently operating in the country.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.