Philippines' online gambling ban prompts foreign worker exodus

As offshore operators shut down, more than 20,000 have left country

20241228N Philippine POGO

Authorities post a "Closed" sign on a building used by an offshore gaming company at Island Cove in Cavite province on Dec. 17. (PAGCOR)

YUKI FUJITA, Nikkei staff writer

MANILA -- Online casinos in the Philippines catering to overseas customers have closed ahead of the government's year-end ban, with around 24,000 foreign workers leaving the country.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the decision in July amid growing criticism that the offshore gaming industry fostered criminal activity.

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