PAGCOR backs Special Class BPOs offering services to foreign gaming firms

February 19, 2025

PAGCOR backs Special Class BPOs offering services to foreign gaming firms

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has reiterated its commitment to supporting the country’s Special Class Business Process Outsourcing (SCBPOs). The sector provides thousands of jobs for Filipinos by offering services to foreign gaming companies.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco assured foreign chambers of commerce that the agency will continue advocating for SCBPOs and their expansion in the Philippines. “We recognize the immense contribution of the SCBPOs in creating thousands of jobs for our countrymen, and we thank our foreign investors for recognizing the unique talent of our workers who provide excellent outsourced services for them,” Tengco said.

SCBPOs and their role in the gaming industry

Tengco explained that SCBPOs operate similarly to conventional BPOs, supporting business functions abroad. However, they are licensed by PAGCOR because they serve the gaming sector.

“The only difference from regular BPOs is that SCBPOs support the operations of legitimate gaming companies overseas, many of which are listed firms, by providing human resource, marketing, graphic design, accounting, and other back-office work,” he stated.

He also clarified that these firms are not directly involved in gaming operations. “We also make sure that the SCBPOs are not directly engaged in gaming operations such as taking or soliciting bets,” Tengco added.

Job growth and local hiring requirements

Currently, the SCBPO sector employs nearly 5,000 Filipino workers, with plans for further expansion. SCBPO firms are required to hire Filipinos for at least 95 percent of their workforce, ensuring local employment opportunities with salaries above industry standards.

“This industry has so much potential, and we are fully committed to its growth and capability to generate more employment for our people,” Tengco said.

PAGCOR’s commitment to compliance and distinction from POGOs

Marie Antonette Quiogue, founder of Arden Consult, emphasised PAGCOR’s role in differentiating SCBPOs from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

“PAGCOR pledged its support for Special Class of BPOs (SCBPOs) while it continues to enforce stricter compliance measures for offshore gaming licensees,” Quiogue said in a LinkedIn post. “This reinforces the distinction between legitimate SCBPOs—business process outsourcing companies providing essential services to regulated gaming operators—and POGOs.”

Quiogue acknowledged the challenges in establishing SCBPOs as a distinct sector but reaffirmed the commitment to working with government agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Bureau of Immigration (BI), and local government units led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

“It was a long and challenging process, and we (on behalf of the biggest SCBPOs in the Philippines) remain committed to working with government agencies to ensure that these businesses and the thousands of jobs they provide are protected,” she said.

Quiogue also expressed gratitude for PAGCOR’s support. “We thank PAGCOR and Chairman Alejandro Tengco for the support,” she added.

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