In a sweeping move to address illegal activities linked to offshore gaming, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration has ordered the cancellation of work permits for approximately 20,000 foreign employees. These workers, employed by online gaming operators, must exit the country by September 24 or within 60 days from the issuance of the order, effective July 26.
This recent development follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decree mandating the closure of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by the end of the year. Marcos emphasized that these operators, now referred to as Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs), had ventured into serious criminal activities. “These companies have been involved in illicit areas furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder,” he stated.
Norman Tansingco, the Bureau of Immigration Commissioner, announced the order on Wednesday. This decisive action targets offshore gaming operations that have increasingly been linked to criminal enterprises under the guise of legitimate gaming businesses.
Regional Impact and Government Response
Most of the affected foreign workers are concentrated in Metro Manila, with additional numbers in Laguna, Cavite, and Central Luzon. Alejandro Tengco, Chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), will confer with Tansingco to address the immigration bureau’s expedited 60-day deadline. This timeline contrasts with Marcos’s directive, which allowed until December 31 for operators to wind down their activities.
2,300 foreign nationals engaged in what the Bureau of Immigration has labeled as “scam hubs”—masked as gaming companies—have already been deported. This move is a part of a larger offensive against unethical behavior related to the gaming industry.
The crackdown is a component of a broader initiative to end illicit activity and restructure the gambling sector. The Philippine government is addressing the financial ramifications of losing these enterprises in addition to aiming for a major decrease in criminal elements. The change will have an impact on the sector’s economic contributions and thousands of local jobs.
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