The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a warning regarding a potential resurgence of illegal offshore gaming operations despite a nationwide ban. Operators are reportedly moving into smaller premises to avoid detection, prompting authorities to target security, immigration, and property lease arrangements.
What Happened
The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has warned that illegal offshore gaming operations, or Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), could resurge despite a nationwide ban implemented by the Anti-POGO Act of 2025 (iGaming Today). According to Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, while large gaming compounds have been dismantled, illegal operators have adapted by decentralizing their activities into smaller premises, including single rooms in residential areas (iGaming Today, The Manila Times).
This shift makes detection more challenging for regulatory surveillance and standard police raids (iGaming Today). Authorities are now focusing enforcement actions on the security arrangements, immigration loopholes, and property leases that facilitate these ongoing clandestine operations (iGaming Today).
Key Details
- Illegal operators are reportedly moving into smaller, decentralized premises, such as single rooms in residential properties, to evade detection following the dismantling of large gaming compounds (iGaming Today).
- Recent raids have primarily found operations run by Chinese nationals who reportedly entered the Philippines through visa loopholes or remained after their permits expired (iGaming Today, Philstar.com).
- The Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police are investigating allegations that dismissed police and military personnel are being hired as private security for these clandestine operations (iGaming Today, abogado.com.ph).
- Commercial landlords and property managers who knowingly lease space for unauthorized online gaming or scam operations may face legal liabilities under anti-trafficking laws, potentially leading to asset seizures (iGaming Today).
Why It Matters
The DOJ’s warning highlights the adaptive nature of illegal gaming syndicates and the challenges in enforcing a nationwide ban (iGaming Today). The shift from large, easily identifiable compounds to smaller, decentralized operations complicates traditional enforcement strategies, requiring a broader focus on supporting infrastructure such as immigration, security, and property arrangements (iGaming Today). This development indicates a persistent regulatory challenge in the region’s efforts to curb illicit activities associated with offshore gaming.
What’s Next
Authorities are increasing efforts to monitor immigration arrangements and premises involved in illegal gambling operations (iGaming Today). The government’s strategy extends beyond shutting down establishments to addressing the resources that enable non-compliant organizations to operate (iGaming Today). This includes scrutinizing property arrangements and investigating dismissed personnel allegedly involved in providing security for these operations (iGaming Today).
Originally reported by iGaming TodayPublished
Sources & References
Primary source
- iGaming Todayigamingtoday.com