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Offshore gaming workforce can grow as big as BPO: analyst

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/09/02/pogo.jpg"/><figcaption>Phil-Asian Gaming Expo features offshore games targetting bettors outside the Philippines. Games can be played on desktop or mobile devices. Photos taken at the SMX Convention Center. July 12, 2019. <em>Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – Offshore gaming could grow as big as the business process outsourcing in terms of employment, notwithstanding a crackdown on the illegal recruitment of Chinese nationals that fuel the sector.</p><p>Demand for office space from offshore gaming remains even as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations or POGOs are &quot;prudent, Leechiu Property Consultants co-founder and CEO David Leechiu told ANC.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yatn80kIgrc?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>&quot;It could be potentially as big as the BPO sector employment to roughly a little over 1 million people,&quot; he said. The country&#x27;s BPO sectors employs over 1.2 million people. </p><p>&quot;The gap between the BPO [office space] takeup and POGO [office space] takeup is so negligible it’s almost the same today and from what I see in the pipeline of our business there’s still a lot of transactions happening in the POGO business,&quot; Leechiu said. </p><p>&quot;I think they will stay as long as they can here because the reason why they’re here in the Philippines is it’s truly a much better place to work in and attract labor from the region,&quot; he said. </p><p>Offshore gaming employs 60 to 70 percent of foreign nationals with Filipinos benefiting from the remaining 30 percent of jobs, Leechiu said. Entry level POGO workers, local or foreign, get about P70,000 to P80,000 monthly salary, he said. </p><p>If POGOs decide to halt operations, BPOs can pickup “viable” office space locations in Makati, Bay Area, Alabang and Ortigas, Leechiu said. </p><div><strong>-- with a report from Michelle Ong, ABS-CBN News </strong></div>

<p>Demand for office space from offshore gaming remains even as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations or POGOs are "prudent, Leechiu Property Consultants co-founder and CEO David Leechiu told ANC.</p>

Demand for office space from offshore gaming remains even as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations or POGOs are "prudent, Leechiu Property Consultants co-founder and CEO David Leechiu told ANC.