A Philippine offshore gaming operator, also known as a POGO philippines, is an organization that provides online gaming services to customers outside the Philippines. PAGCOR, the government's principal gaming regulator, licenses such firms. pagcor portal are required to have office space of at least 10,000 square meters, and are required to register with the Securities Exchange Commission. Pagcor operators are legally operating in the country, and are subject to regular audits. However, pagcor are not allowed to offer their services to Filipino citizens.
PIGOs employ a massive workforce of Chinese workers, with an estimated total of more than 100,000. According to estimates, China is the largest source of gambling in the Philippines. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has repeatedly warned Chinese citizens against engaging in online gambling.
Philippine POGOs have grown quickly in the last few years, largely by bringing in Chinese staff to work in their facilities. Mainland Chinese tourists have taken advantage of the country's labor laws to work in Philippine gaming establishments. During the past year, PIGOs contributed at least P33 million in licensing fees to Pagcor, the government's principal gaming regulator. PIGOs use software developed outside the Philippines to facilitate online games. Currently, 56 licensed POGOs occupy 560,000 square meters of commercial space in the Philippines. Most of the tenants are online gambling companies.
PIGOs are expected to contribute at least 55 percent of the gross revenue earned from their gambling operations to PAGCOR, with other fees to the Social Security System and the Pag-IBIG fund. In addition to these fees, PIGO licensees are required to pay a $300,000 security bond.
PAGCOR, or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, regulates all gaming activities in the country. This includes sports betting, lotteries, and casinos. Its code of practice for responsible gaming is designed to prevent gambling addiction, to keep game operators in line with local and international laws, and to train gaming employees.
Licensed operators are equipped with the latest security technologies, including encryption. They must also pay royalties for software used in their venues, and pay fees to their venue operators. Operators are allowed to offer online gambling to foreigners, but not to Philippine citizens. Before joining a Philippine online gambling operator, it is recommended to check its website for terms and conditions. Also, be sure to check if its website is mobile friendly. If it is, you can play through its native app on the Google Play Store or the App Store.
Despite reports that Chinese gamblers are bribing gambling operators to operate illegal sites, online gambling is not illegal in the Philippines. The Philippines' main casino industry topped $4.1 billion in revenues in 2018. Several operators in the country were found to have been linked to gambling crimes.