The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) discovered a torture den inside a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pasay City, the Department of Justice said in November 2023. The hub was raided over its involvement in illegal operations including love and crypto scams, and authorities found torture devices and sex toys on the premises1.
More than 700 victims of human trafficking, both Filipinos and foreigners, were rescued from the hub1.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the government had been receiving information about law enforcement personnel taking part in illegal activities tied to POGOs. He said several uniformed men had been spotted moonlighting for the operators, and that the department had asked the Philippine National Police to help investigate1.
"Merong syndicated criminal activities na nangyayari [There are syndicated criminal activities happening] within these POGO communities."
Remulla also said the operators appeared to act as if they had protection, and cited kidnapping and kidnapping for ransom among the crimes reported inside POGO communities1. The Philippine National Police had not responded to a request for comment at the time the report was published1.
What it means for players
The raid and the rescue of more than 700 people point to crimes that sit alongside the offshore gaming industry rather than inside its licensed betting operations. The victims were trafficked into the hub and used in love and crypto scams, not recruited as ordinary casino customers1.
For anyone gambling in the Philippines, the practical effect is on where the money and the sites come from. Scam operations of the kind found in Pasay City run on fake investment and romance pitches that often end in crypto payments, and the same criminal networks can sit behind unlicensed betting and casino sites. The Justice Secretary's statement that uniformed personnel were allegedly moonlighting for POGO operators also means that the people running these operations may have had inside protection, which is relevant to how complaints are handled1.
The Philippines has since moved to ban POGOs, and the status of licensed offshore operators has changed. Players dealing with any operator that is not clearly licensed in the jurisdiction should treat the source of funds and the identity of the operator as the main risk, not the games themselves.
What happens next
The Department of Justice said it had asked the Philippine National Police to look into the alleged illegal activities linked to POGOs, including the reported involvement of law enforcement personnel1. No outcome of that request has been reported. The Philippine National Police had not responded when the report was published1.
For background on the sector and the risks around it, see The Philippines' Ban on Offshore Gaming (POGOs), Crackdowns on Offshore Online Gambling Hubs in Asia, Where Scam Compounds Are: Border Towns and Zones in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines, Gambling Scams and Safety in Asia, Crypto Gambling Scams: Fake Tokens, Rug Pulls and Unregistered Exchanges, Fund Recovery Scams: Fake Lawyers, Hackers and Agencies That Target Scam Victims, Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Can I Gamble in the Philippines?.
Sources1 sources
- DOJ cites reported involvement of law enforcers in Pogo crimes, newsinfo.inquirer.net
