President Bongbong Marcos has officially signed the Executive Order banning POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) in the Philippines.
During his State of the Nation Address, President Marcos announced his intention to enact this measure in July.
This latest chapter in Philippine regulation marks the next step in a “critical period” for one of Asia’s most significant gambling ecosystems, as efforts to root out offshore betting companies are set to intensify.
The measures in the law also include efforts to ensure that affected Filipino workers are not laid off as a result of the ban, with the government setting aside specialized agencies to ensure there is still room for workers in the country.
In a recent interview with CasinoBeats, Keith McDonnell, Director at the KMI Group, revealed that action was already underway in the build-up to the formalisation of this bill.
He stated: “A phased approach is ongoing, with current POGO licence holders asked to report frequently on what they’re doing to make sure they are closed down by December. Meanwhile, some operators have already split their teams up and are locating specific functions elsewhere to mitigate against business risk.
“Others hope that they can retain a lot of their highly educated and experienced workforce in the Philippines by getting special class BPO accreditation or partnering with an outsourcing business that has it.”
He did predict that there is a future for igaming operators to have some sort of footprint in the Phillippines, as the heritage and knowledge the country has built up is not easily replaced.
“The Philippines has been an outstanding location for many businesses in our industry for decades”, he stated.
“In introducing new measures to address the illicit activities of some Internet Gaming License holders, it has hoped opportunities will remain for resectable businesses to continue and thrive whilst employing thousands of locally knowledgeable and experienced Filipinos.”
Furthermore, it was recently revealed that the Isle of Man has set aside a budget to explore the potential of embracing the displaced operators as a result of the POGO ban in the Philippines, but a meticulous and careful approach will be taken.
According to the Isle of Man Today, a spokesperson for Digital IoM stated: “Following conversations with businesses operating within the island’s digital sector, it was recognised that recent regulatory changes in the Philippines affecting Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators could present a strategic opportunity for the Isle of Man.
“The blanket ban imposed by the Philippine regulator creates a significant displacement of the sector, meaning legitimate and high-performing businesses operating there are required to seek alternative regulatory markets. Consequently, the Isle of Man, known for its robust regulatory standards in this space, could provide this alternative for those businesses which would meet these high standards.”
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