Chinese Workers in Philippines POGOs Have Uncertain Futures

Posted on: July 26, 2024, 08:14h. 

Last updated on: July 26, 2024, 09:35h.

China is thanking the Philippines government for finally ordering its many online casino platforms that target players in the People’s Republic to cease their operations.

On Monday, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the rescinding of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) licenses. Such online gaming operators must terminate their internet slot machines and table games by the end of the year.

China had long called on the Philippines to fold on its POGO sector. China said POGOs illegally allow Chinese nationals to gamble online.

We have noted President Marcos’ announcement of banning all POGOs and welcome this development,” the Chinese embassy in the Philippines capital of Manila said during a media briefing. “We believe this decision echoes the call of the Philippine people and serves the common interests of people of both countries.”

POGOs flourished under President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year reign that ended June 30, 2022. A controversial leader who was scolded by international authorities for human rights violations and his anti-drug campaign that allegedly included the jailing and killing of thousands of suspected drug cartel members without due process, Duterte saw POGOs as a critical source of revenue for the Philippines government. As a result, he shunned China’s repeated calls for the cessation of POGOs.

Future for Chinese Workers Unknown

Marcos’ announcement means the 46 POGO licenses will become invalid effective Jan. 1, 2025. The industry employs around 40K people, with about half estimated to be Chinese.

In October 2020, China revoked thousands of citizens’ passports on grounds that they illegally worked in the POGO industry.

“In order to crack down on cross-border telecommunication fraud crimes, the Ministry of Public Security of China has obtained a list of Chinese nationals suspected of committing long-term telecommunication fraud crimes abroad,” the embassy stated at the time. “Such operations are aimed at the suspects of Chinese nationals who have committed telecommunications fraud crimes in different countries.”

POGOs Ripe With Crime

For years, China claimed that POGOs were attracting Chinese people to move to the Philippines on the promise of strong pay. POGOs employed Mandarin-speaking table game dealers and call center workers to cater to their primary customers — Chinese people.

POGOs have also been alleged to facilitate the illicit movement of money, aka money laundering. After years of the Philippines deflecting such charges, Marcos Jr. conceded this week that many of the allegations are true.

“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture — even murder,” Marcos said during his State of the Nation address. “The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop.”