In accordance with Philippines' regulations, POGO gambling employees are required to vacate their workplaces within a 60-day period.
Following the declaration by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 66, that the offshore gaming market will cease to exist, more details have emerged. Significantly, Chinese gaming personnel working in POGOs, or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, will need to vacate the Philippines by September 2024.
Departure of License Holders and Employees
In a communication issued on July 24 [English source], the Philippine immigration bureau declared that all offshore gaming employees must depart the country within 60 days, with the deadline commencing on July 26. Consequently, these individuals must depart by September 2024 at the latest.
The aforementioned employees principally belong to the POGOs, which consist predominantly of Chinese gaming providers, apart from the Macau Special Administrative Region, where gambling is lawful. POGOs operate gambling from the Philippines but cater to Chinese players thanks to legal implications in China.
Last week, President Marcos Jr. proposed to shut down the offshore market by year's end and revoke the issued licenses. It was recently announced that license holders have a 59-day deadline from July 26 to wind down their operations in the Philippines and relocate.
From now on, no new gambling licenses shall be granted to offshore operators in the Philippines. The last such license termination in the Philippines happened in 2019.
Anticipated Departure of 20,000 Foreign Workers
The Philippine immigration bureau stated that approximately 20,000 foreign workers are expected to leave the country in September. Around 70% of POGO employees are Chinese citizens. All pending and new visa applications from POGO workers will now be rejected.
The bureau maintains a list of POGO employees, against which visa applications from these workers will be automatically disqualified.
If individuals fail to depart the country within the 60-day deadline, deportation proceedings will commence. The intelligence department and the enforcement unit have been instructed to detain any remaining POGO employees in the Philippines.
Financial Aid for Philippine POGO Employees
As foreign POGO employees are being expelled, Philippine employees will receive assistance from the authorities. Presently, the authorities are evaluating whether the employees are eligible for unemployment insurance.
Bienvenido Laguesma, 73, the Philippine labor minister, declared that his department will support the Philippine POGO employees. He asserted that unemployment in the country will not inflate due to the impending ban.
Instead, he intends to assist the laid-off employees in finding new jobs, considering their skills. Training programs are also under consideration.
China's Reaction to the End of POGOs
After the Philippine president announced the ban on POGOs, the Chinese embassy also voiced its stance. It welcomed the proposed ban and underscored that the decision aligns with the interests of the populations of both countries.
We have observed the announcement by President Marcos to prohibit all POGOs and welcome this development. We believe this decision mirrors the sentiments of the Filipino people and serves the common interests of the people of both nations.*– Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, Philippine News Agency
In this context, the Chinese Embassy declared that it will firmly handle Chinese citizens associated with foreign gambling establishments. The Embassy will continue cooperating closely with the Philippines to safeguard the security of both nations.
The fate of the expelled Chinese POGO employees, including potential penalties in their homeland, has yet to be disclosed.
After the Philippine immigration bureau announced that all POGO employees must depart within 60 days, the news of the anticipated departure of 20,000 foreign workers, primarily Chinese citizens, has sparked concern. The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has welcomed the ban on POGOs, stating that it aligns with the interests of both nations and will continue to cooperate to safeguard security.
In light of the ban and the impending expulsion of these workers, discussions have emerged about providing financial aid and job opportunities for the affected Philippine POGO employees, with the labor minister aiming to support their transition.
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