Philippine authorities have cracked down on offshore online gambling operations in the southern part of the country, leading to the arrest of 244 foreigners, mostly Chinese citizens, including a resident from Hong Kong. The raid also uncovered about 3,000 mobile phones and a large quantity of computer equipment, some of which are suspected to be used for online fraud.
On October 3rd, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration announced that its intelligence unit, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), carried out simultaneous operations the day before in Siay and Alicia in Zamboanga Sibugay province in the south. Authorities dubbed it as the largest crackdown on illegal offshore online gambling (POGO) operations in the Philippines this year.
POGO refers to Philippine offshore gaming operators that primarily offer gambling services to overseas clients through the internet.
During the operation in Siay, law enforcement officers arrested 113 foreigners, with 110 being Chinese nationals, two Cambodian citizens, and one resident from Hong Kong.
In another location in Alicia, 131 foreigners were detained. The majority of them are also Chinese, while others come from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The identities and nationalities of these individuals are still being verified. A total of 244 individuals were arrested in the two operations.
Authorities seized 78 computer monitors, around 3,000 mobile phones, as well as laptops, SIM cards, and other devices at one of the sites.
The Bureau of Immigration stated that a significant amount of technical equipment believed to have been used in online fraud was also discovered, indicating organized illegal online activities at the site.
The detainees are currently under investigation for suspected violations of Philippine immigration laws, including lacking proper work visas, legal status, illegal entry, and involvement in illegal POGO-related online activities.
Authorities are also investigating whether the case involves human trafficking.
The Philippine government banned POGO operations in 2024 and passed the “Anti-POGO Law” in 2025, prohibiting offshore gambling operations and the establishment of POGO hubs.
The 244 arrested foreigners will undergo deportation procedures for alleged violations of immigration laws. If deportation orders are issued, their names will be put on the immigration blacklist, barring them from reentering the Philippines in the future.