The People’s Republic has placed the Philippines on a travel ban list due to worries about unlawful actions within the nation’s internet-based gaming sector.
The archipelago nation has transformed into a center for these digital gaming providers, referred to as POGOs, which capitalized on the country’s lenient gaming regulations to draw in Chinese patrons. This surge in gaming activities ultimately prompted China’s determination.
The leader of the Philippine Senate, Juan Miguel Zubiri, disclosed during a Senate inquiry that the Chinese envoy conveyed significant apprehensions. China is concerned that its nationals journeying to the Philippines could become entangled in POGO activities, potentially falling prey to criminal acts or even being wrongly recognized as operators and facing repercussions.
In an effort to curb illicit POGO activities, the Philippines recently declared it would expel 40,000 Chinese laborers and shutter 175 POGOs.
However, this action has sparked disapproval from some, such as Mike Danganan of a POGO service provider and advocacy group. Danganan contends that this will result in widespread job losses, projecting that approximately 23,000 individuals will be left without well-compensated positions if the crackdown persists.
This circumstance arises at a juncture when travel from China to the Philippines was already notably reduced due to China’s stringent “zero-COVID” approach in preceding years.
The year 2019 saw the Philippines greet an astounding 7 million visitors from China. By 2022, this figure had dramatically fallen to a scant 22,236. As the global health crisis ravaged Macau’s gaming industry, the Philippines capitalized on the situation, drawing in a significant portion of Macau’s previous patrons. To delve further into these market transformations, be sure to check out the forthcoming November/December edition of “Gaming Insider.”