The Philippines online gaming sector is going through a bit of a reset. While some firms are trying to reopen their Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGO) offices, testing their employees and trying to meet the demands of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the real estate sector is expecting plenty will have to fold in the near future.

Property analyst David Leechiu, president and CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants, told Philstar that he sees a perfect storm coming for the Philippines property market. As the government begins to demand new tax payments, many POGOs may simply chose to move elsewhere, resulting in damage to other industries, like real estate, but also construction and tourism.

Internal Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa has recently noted that not a single POGO has met the BIR’s requirements to successfully reopen. To do so, they would need to prove they’ve paid all of their tax debts, but also fulfill the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) demand that all employees test negative for COVID-19.

That testing effort has become its own controversy, as talking heads and politicians worry that POGO employees are being prioritized over other sectors of the Filipino workforce.