TLDR Former Philippine offshore gaming operators are reportedly relocating to Sri Lanka’s Port City Special Economic Zone. Recruiters are targeting former POGO workers from the Philippines, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Thousands of workers have reportedly moved to Sri Lanka, and some do not have valid work permits. Sri Lankan officials say new gambling rules will apply to Port City and the rest of the country. Networks such as KJC, P3Bet, and King Group have reportedly been linked to operations in Sri Lanka.
Former Philippine offshore gaming operators and their workers are reportedly moving operations to Sri Lanka. Colombo’s Port City Special Economic Zone is emerging as a base for online gaming businesses that target customers overseas.
The claim comes from an investigation by MonetaBrief. The report was published by Sri Lankan newspaper The Island on Sunday.
The investigation said some of the largest online gaming groups now working in Sri Lanka appear to be former POGOs. Those operators were shut down after the Philippines banned the offshore gaming sector.
Recruiters Target Former Gaming Workers
The report said recruiters are targeting former gaming workers from the Philippines and other parts of Asia. Ads are promoting Sri Lanka, especially Port City, as a stable place for the online gaming industry.
Thousands of workers from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia have reportedly moved to Sri Lanka for these jobs. Some of them do not have valid work permits.
Many of these workers reportedly support operations that target markets where online gambling is restricted or banned. This includes several countries across Asia that have cracked down on offshore gaming in recent years.
MonetaBrief said larger online gaming groups appear to operate either inside the Port City ecosystem or through companies approved by the Board of Investment. Some of these are