All bets are off: Chinese to lose visas in Philippines’ offshore gambling bust

Tens of thousands of Chinese citizens in the Philippines to help run offshore gambling services stand to lose their work visas by mid-October, as the Southeast Asian country looks to uproot the industry by year’s end under growing scrutiny from both Beijing and Manila.

Analysts said many – if not most – visa holders working for Pogos come from China and work alongside Filipinos as well as citizens of third countries.

More than 300,000 Chinese workers were employed by Pogos at the industry’s height, but official estimates put the number of those legally employed in the sector this year closer to half that amount.