Commissioner Norman Tansingco of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Wednesday that all employees of Internet Gambling Licensees (IGLs) and Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) must leave the country within 60 days.

This follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive during his third State of the Nation Address on 22 July to ban all POGOs.

The ban aims to halt all illegal activities related to POGOs, including their disguise as legitimate entities and operations that had expanded to illicit areas such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, and even murder.

Tansingco said that foreign individuals who work in POGOs and IGLs, as well as their service providers, have 60 days to shut down their operations and depart the country.

This move seeks to eliminate the illegal operations that have marred the industry, affecting the nation’s security and economy.

Tansingco said that approximately 20,000 foreign workers in the industry are expected to leave the country.

Pending and new applications for working visas for POGOs and IGLs will automatically be denied by the BI.

The BI has a comprehensive list of all foreign nationals working in POGOs and IGLs, which it acquired from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. The list will aid the bureau in monitoring and ensuring compliance with the new directive.

The BI chief said he has instructed the Fugitive Search Unit and Intelligence Division to arrest all violators. This will involve heightened surveillance and crackdowns on all illegal online gaming hubs that will continue to flout the new regulations.

The BI has so far deported more than 2,300 POGO workers.