Philippine investigators raided an online casino compound in Bamban, in Tarlac province, in March 2024, finding evidence of financial scams and victims of human trafficking, as well as luxury villas and underground tunnels1. The former mayor of Bamban, Alice Guo, was arrested on a Tuesday night at a hotel in the city of Tangerang in Indonesia and is now in the custody of the Indonesian authorities1. It is unclear when she will be extradited to the Philippines1.
Investigators and senators looking into the issue have alleged that Guo was linked to the activities, and that she was not a Philippine national, but in fact Chinese1. The election commission later said the fingerprints on her election records matched those of a Chinese citizen1. Guo has denied wrongdoing, saying she is facing "malicious accusations"1.
The senate issued an arrest warrant for Guo in July, after she failed to appear at a hearing investigating criminal activities in her town1. No other arrest warrants have been issued by the courts1. However, the Philippines' Anti-Money Laundering Council recently filed several charges of money laundering against Guo and 35 others before the department of justice, accusing them of laundering more than 100m pesos (£1.3m)1. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission has also filed qualified human trafficking charges, now under consideration by the office of the prosecutor1.
Guo allegedly fled the country in July, traveling to Malaysia and Singapore, then Indonesia in August using her Philippine passport, the national anti-crime agency has said1. The Philippines' president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, last month said that a full-scale investigation into how Guo was able to flee the country was under way, and that "those responsible will be suspended and will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law"1.
"investigators raided an online casino's sprawling compound in the town in March, finding evidence of financial scams and victims of human trafficking, as well as luxury villas and underground tunnels"
What it means for players
The raid and the charges that followed concern an online casino compound in Bamban, not a licensed consumer-facing operator. For people who gamble in the Philippines, the case is a reminder that offshore online casino operations linked to scam compounds have been the target of Philippine enforcement, and that crackdowns on offshore online gambling hubs in Asia have continued. Players in the Philippines can check whether a casino is licensed or unlicensed and read gambling scams in the Philippines for how fake sites and scam compounds operate. The wider gambling scams and safety guide covers reporting routes, and rigged online casino games explains how pirated slots and fake live dealers work. Anyone who has lost money to a scam compound should be aware of fund recovery scams, which target victims. The legal position for players is set out in gambling laws in Asia and can I gamble in the Philippines.
What happens next
- Guo is in Indonesian custody and it is unclear when she will be extradited to the Philippines1.
- The money laundering charges filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council against Guo and 35 others are before the department of justice1.
- The qualified human trafficking charges filed by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission are under consideration by the office of the prosecutor1.
- A full-scale investigation into how Guo left the country is under way, according to President Marcos Jr1.
- No other arrest warrants have been issued by the courts1.
