PAGCOR Crackdown: 12 arrested over illegal online gambling operation

PAGCOR has uncovered illicit online gaming operations in Parañaque City, leading to the apprehension of 12 individuals.

A statement released on Friday by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) disclosed that it had conducted a month-long surveillance operation targeting illegal online gaming activities within a gated community in Parañaque City.

The arrests were carried out by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP), in conjunction with PAGCOR’s monitoring team.

PAGCOR’s Chairman and CEO, Alejandro H. Tengco, revealed that the illegal gaming site had been offering various games, including slot machines, live casino games, and e-sports. Authorities confiscated eleven computer sets, 21 mobile phones, 2 iPads, 6 laptops, and multiple flash drives from the suspects.

An on-site inspection uncovered evidence of the group’s illicit online activities on the confiscated devices, as stated by PAGCOR’s Senior Vice President for the Security and Monitoring Cluster, Raul Villanueva.

The raid occurred within BF Northwest Subdivision, an upscale community that counts among its residents some of Parañaque’s most prominent political and business figures. Villanueva confirmed that cases would be filed against the suspects before the Parañaque Regional Trial Court.

“This operation was part of our unified efforts to intensify the fight against illegal online gambling, as we have a directive from PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco to put a stop to these illegal activities,” Villanueva said.

“We will continue to collaborate with law enforcement authorities such as the PNP and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to halt these activities,” he added.

We advise the public to refrain from patronizing illegal online gaming sites and instead use legal platforms to protect themselves. Unfortunately, most victims of these illegal sites are Filipino bettors.

Raul Villanueva, PAGCOR VP for Security and Monitoring Cluster

“We are also closely cooperating with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center under the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as we have identified many more targets under surveillance,” he concluded.

Villanueva noted that at one time, nearly 5,000 illegal online gaming sites were operating in the country, but 80 percent of these have already been blocked.

“We need to consistently monitor and report them to authorities, not only to protect bettors but also to ensure that revenues from regulated gaming are channeled back to the government for its nation-building programs,” he emphasized.

Licensed operators ensure that operators pay proper taxes and also safely handle players deposits and withdrawals. It is very risky to play on sites with illegal operations because one can never be sure of their security and payouts. Illegal operators should not be trusted due to numerous scams and one should play at the legal and licensed sites.

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