Manila to deport 40,000 Chinese workers in crackdown on online gambling

The Philippines will deport 40,000 Chinese workers in a lawsuit against online gambling companies following allegations of kidnapping, prostitution and murder in the sector, the Philippines announced on Tuesday (September 27th). authorities.

The Philippine Online Gambling Companies (POGO), which primarily target customers in China, where gambling is banned, have grown rapidly under President Rodrigo Duterte.

But the influx of tens of thousands of Chinese workers has created friction, with many Filipinos accusing online gambling companies of evading taxes and driving up property prices without offering jobs. to the local population.

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Justice Minister Crispin Remulla recently ordered police to prosecute 175 POGOs whose licenses had been revoked but who continued to operate illegally.

The justice ministry spokesman said Manila will begin deporting about 40,000 Chinese workers employed by them next month.

Ban these companies

Beijing, which has previously called on the Philippines to ban all forms of online gambling, welcomed the crackdown.

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About 34 of these companies are licensed to operate and about 130 help desks are registered, according to the Philippines Gaming Regulatory Authority.

The authority revoked the licenses of 40 POGOs and 174 service providers.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said earlier this month he wanted to ban such companies.

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According to him, POGOs earned revenues of 7.2 billion pesos ($122 million) in 2020, before a sharp drop last year to 3.9 billion pesos.

David Leechiu, a Manila-based consultant, estimates that the Philippine economy could lose 200 billion pesos in rental income and wages if the POGOs are evicted.

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