Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) Chair Andrea Domingo said about half of the country’s online gaming operators have shuttered permanently, affecting as many as 300,000 foreign workers.

Domingo said Covid had played a major part as Chinese staff were unable to enter the country.

PAGCOR expects gaming revenue to drop to about PHP16 billion ($330 million) this year, about half of what it earned in 2020.

China-centric online casinos exit Philippines due to virus curbs (Bloomberg)