Philippines may set further requirements for online operators

PAGCOR has been asked not to renew any POGO licences unless offshore operators are registered with the BIR.

Philippines.- Philippine-based offshore gaming operators (POGOs) may have to face further requirements in the country after the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) asked the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to include proof of tax registration and payment before renewing licences.

According to the Department of Finance (DoF), the BIR is also looking to work with a task force led by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Bureau of Immigration, since foreigners taking POGO jobs keep increasing.

“We want to trace these Chinese nationals employed by these gaming operators. They allowed us to join the task force because we are asking data from Immigration and DoLE on the list of these foreign nationals,” BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel SD. Guballa was quoted saying in a DoF statement released on Sunday.

POGOs were required to sign up with the BIR as stated by Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 78-2018, but the further requirements may soon be enforced as foreign workers continue to increase and illegal gambling controls need to be improved as well.