Philippines arrests 244 foreigners over alleged links to illegal offshore gambling
The Bureau of Immigration described the operation as the largest POGO bust of 2026.
The Philippines.- Philippine authorities have detained 244 foreign nationals following raids on two sites suspected of being linked to illegal offshore gaming operations in Zamboanga Sibugay. The Bureau of Immigration (BI), supported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Bureau of Investigation, conducted the operations on October 2 in the towns of Siay and Alicia in Mindanao.
Authorities apprehended 111 Chinese nationals and two Cambodians at a site in Barangay Kimos, Siay. A further 131 foreign nationals were arrested in Barangay Tandiong Muslim, Alicia, mostly Chinese, while citizens of Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar were also among those arrested.
At the Casa de Coco Pension House compound in Siay, investigators seized about 3,000 mobile phones, 78 computer monitors, laptops, thousands of SIM cards and other technical equipment. The BI is checking the identities and immigration status of those arrested and investigating alleged violations, including working without valid visas, illegal entry, inadequate documentation and involvement in illegal online activities.
The operation, which the BI described as its largest POGO bust of 2026, forms part of the Philippine government’s enforcement of Executive Order No. 74, issued in 2024, and the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, which formally prohibits offshore gaming in the Philippines.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the agency would continue targeting foreign nationals who breach Philippine immigration rules and prevent the country from being used as a base for illegal activities. Those found to have violated immigration laws will face deportation proceedings, while foreign nationals who receive deportation orders will also be blacklisted from returning to the Philippines.
China’s Embassy in Manila said it was in contact with Philippine authorities to obtain further information on the arrests. Spokesperson Ji Lingpeng added that Chinese law also prohibits nationals from gambling overseas or working for gambling operators.
