The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has shortened the validity of employment permits issued to foreign and Filipino workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) sector to the end of this year.
In an announcement posted on its website, the gaming regulatory body's board approved the adjustment of the validity period of POGO worker permits or Offshore Gaming Employment License (OGEL) on August 15, 2024.
For Filipino OGEL holders, the original validity period was "three years from the date of issuance," but has been shortened to "until December 31, 2024."
For foreigners, their OGEL was originally set to expire "upon the end of the employee's work visa or work permit validity," but has also been adjusted to end by December 2024 or "upon the end of the employee's work visa or permit validity, whichever comes first."
In his third State of the Nation Address in July this year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all online gaming companies in the country. Previously, authorities had conducted a series of raids on these establishments, discovering equipment used for torture and "love scams."
Marcos stated that POGO is suspected of crimes such as fraud, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and murder.
The President has instructed PAGCOR to gradually close and cease all POGO operations in the country by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration has begun downgrading POGO workers' work visas to tourist visas.
The Bureau of Immigration, along with the Department of Justice and PAGCOR, held a meeting with POGO representatives, during which the term was changed to Internet Gaming License holder (IGL), and announced that the Bureau of Immigration will accept voluntary downgrades of work visas until October 15.
