Recently, a friend who works in headhunting complained to me: recruitment in the gambling industry is becoming increasingly difficult. Several old friends also mentioned that the "plates" they handle are facing a talent shortage as well. Looking at the entire industry, the difficulty in hiring is no longer an isolated phenomenon, but a systemic crisis.
The reason is not complicated—the gambling industry has been labeled and stigmatized, and even equated directly in public discourse:
Gambling industry = Black platforms = Love scams = Fraud syndicates = Southeast Asian parks = Kidney harvesting
Undeniably, there are many shady companies within the industry, and the "bad money drives out good" effect is not surprising, thus it has intensified under the dual influence of social media and mainstream propaganda. The blockbuster success of the movie "All In" and the fermentation of the Wang Xing incident have exacerbated the public's misunderstandings and fears about the gambling industry. Nowadays, "working in gambling" has almost become synonymous with "accomplice in fraud."
You can search for "Cambodia jobs" or "Philippines recruitment" or even specific names of gambling companies on platforms like Xiaohongshu and TikTok, and you will find a plethora of "exposer posts." The content is often the same—claiming to have received an HR or headhunter's offer, about to be "kidney harvested." However, after reading these contents thoroughly, I found that many of these so-called "shady companies" are actually well-known and compliant major factories within the industry.
When an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent. When world-class legitimate companies cannot shake off the "fraud" label, it's naturally even harder for frontline recruiters and HR to remain unaffected.
Now, to recruit a reliable candidate, you might need to contact 50 people, whereas in the past, only 5 were needed. Candidates immediately refuse upon hearing the keywords "gambling" and "Southeast Asia," no matter how you explain the company's legitimacy and generous compensation.
More ironically—offering high salaries doesn't attract people anymore. In the past, a junior Java engineer could be smoothly recruited with a salary of about ten thousand plus some overseas allowances. Now, even offering thirty thousand might not tempt anyone to go abroad. Once the offer is too high, it instead raises suspicions of "being a fishing salary offered by a fraud syndicate."
Many companies in the industry thus fall into a vicious cycle, unable to keep up with recruitment, unable to push projects forward, with soaring labor costs, eventually leading to a standstill, or even shutting down. Not to mention those companies still trying to work on PPTs, official websites, and image PR—these efforts are like ants challenging an elephant in the current torrent of public opinion.
Of course, there are a few companies that are breaking through. They are moving away from their dependence on Chinese talent and starting to recruit massively in Southeast Asia or the European market. But this path demands extremely high international operational capabilities, and most are still stuck in "Chinese-style management" in gambling companies, unable to make it happen.
It's time to recognize a reality: the gambling enterprises' dependence on Chinese talent is coming to an end.
The wave of globalization has arrived, and those companies unable to transform may not even have the qualifications to "board the ship."
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For more content, follow my TG channel: Fifteen Years in the Gambling Industry, @bcguy888
Comments0
Previously, aside from the Philippines, it was actually difficult to recruit people in Southeast Asia, but now it's all the same, no country is clean.
If the Philippines didn't have so many kidnappings and ransom cases, people would still come.
His conditions are actually okay, it's just that the kidnapping is really outrageous.
The funniest part about recruiting now is the introduction of the circle, which is a bit more trustworthy.
To be honest, you wouldn't dare to go either, given the information asymmetry.
You are awesome, running to Syria.
Recruiting new people at high salaries, while we old-timers don't get a penny more.
How can we prove the awesomeness of Dongda without such internal propaganda?
On Xiaohongshu, people say every day that the company I work for is a scam company, but I just smile without a word.
This is good for the people who are still here, but only in the short term. In the long run, if the industry is gone, jobs can't be preserved either.
Look at the long-term perspective.
Most of the bosses don't speak English, but we can hire those who do.
Fujian people are impressive; back in their hometown, as long as you have hands and feet, you can make use of them.
Recruiting is really difficult.
Many companies now clearly state that they do not want those who have worked for BC.
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