Pogo exodus to cost Philippines P200bil a year, Leechiu warns

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The Philippine economy stands to lose almost P200 billion annually—from office and residential rentals, income taxes, electricity bills, employees’ wages and regulatory revenues, among others—if the remaining players in the local online gaming industry are shut down, a property analyst who closely follows the Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) said.

In a briefing, Leechiu Property Consultants CEO David Leechiu also warned that banning what’s left of legal Pogo firms, which were already affected severely by the Covid-19 pandemic, will add another dimension to the economic challenges confronting the country.