The nation of the Philippines has been placed on a restricted travel roster by China due to worries about unlawful operations within the Philippine online gaming sector.
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), for a period of time, have taken advantage of the nation’s lenient gaming regulations, vigorously focusing on citizens of China. This has resulted in China’s choice to deter its people from traveling to the Philippines.
The circumstances are grave. During a legislative session, Philippine Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri disclosed that the Chinese Ambassador voiced serious apprehensions regarding the well-being of Chinese nationals in the Philippines. The apprehension stems from the possibility of tourists becoming entangled in POGO operations or falling victim to offenses planned by criminal syndicates connected to the industry. There’s even a possibility of mistaken identity resulting in abductions.
To tackle these anxieties, the Philippines has declared a campaign against illicit gambling, pledging to expel 40,000 Chinese laborers and close down 175 POGOs.
Nevertheless, this action has ignited its own dispute. Individuals within the industry, such as Mike Danganan who represents service providers and the POGO association, contend that this will result in widespread job losses. He projects that if the crackdown persists, roughly 23,000 individuals will become unemployed, many of whom hold positions considered “high-paying.”
This predicament arises at a juncture when the Philippines is already contending with a significant decrease in Chinese tourism stemming from China’s prior “zero-COVID” approach. The prevailing environment introduces an additional layer of intricacy to the relations between the two nations.
The year 2019 saw the Philippines greet an astounding 7 million visitors from China. By 2022, this figure had drastically fallen to a scant 22,236. The global health crisis severely impacted Macau’s gambling sector with closures and limitations, presenting a chance for the Philippines. The nation seized this, drawing in numerous affluent gamblers and vacationers who ordinarily would have journeyed to Macau.
To delve further into the gambling sector and its evolving terrain, watch for the forthcoming November/December edition of “Gaming Insider.”