Raids and immigration violations
More than two years after President Ferdinand Marcos called for a total ban on offshore gaming operations, Philippine authorities continue conducting enforcement actions. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that 244 arrests occurred across two sites located in the towns of Siay and Alicia within the Zamboanga Sibugay region. While the majority of detainees are Chinese nationals, citizens from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Cambodia were also apprehended on suspicion of violating immigration laws.
During the raids, immigration officers seized numerous computer monitors alongside laptops and more than 3,000 mobile phones utilized to run the illegal gaming platforms. Alongside suspected immigration infractions, the Bureau of Immigration announced that investigators will examine potential human trafficking violations linked to the properties.
President Marcos originally outlawed offshore gaming operators during his 2024 State of the Nation Address, citing associations with financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, and brutal torture.
Regulatory challenges and black market scale
The scale of the recent operations underscores the persistent presence of an underground gaming market in the Philippines. National regulator PAGCOR previously warned that illegal operators represent roughly 50 percent of the country’s total gaming sector. Although Justice Secretary Frederick Vida stated earlier in the year that government crackdowns had cleared out official and illegal operators alike, the latest arrests demonstrate that underground networks remain active.
Addressing the crackdown, Joel Viado, Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, stated:
“We will continue to enforce our immigration laws against foreign nationals who violate the conditions of their stay and ensure that the Philippines is not used as a base for illegal activities.”
To streamline enforcement, the government introduced a unified set of standard operating procedures in April, consolidating multiple ban orders and laws to empower agencies such as the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto noted that these protocols strengthen inter-agency coordination and provide enhanced legal tools to eradicate illegal hubs.
