Reports of online gambling links in the Philippines rose 76 percent to 4,308 in the second quarter of 2025, the highest increase among categories tracked by the scam prevention app Whoscall, according to data reported by Philstar.com on July 22, 20251. The rise came as overall reports of risky links picked up 38 percent to 18,735 in the second quarter, from 13,602 in the first quarter1.
Other link categories also grew. Links promoting fake incentives, promos and rewards jumped 57 percent to 4,497, and online loan links rose 20 percent to 9,9301. By contrast, text scams fell 90 percent to 65,035 in the second quarter, from 648,239 in the first quarter, and scam calls declined to 34,964 from 351,6991.
| Category | Second quarter 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Online gambling links | 4,308 | up 76 percent |
| Fake incentives, promos and rewards links | 4,497 | up 57 percent |
| Online loan links | 9,930 | up 20 percent |
| All risky links | 18,735 | up 38 percent |
| Text scams | 65,035 | down 90 percent |
| Scam calls | 34,964 | down from 351,699 |
Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center deputy executive director Renato Paraiso said the agency is uncovering as many as 20 illegal gambling sites every day1. Those sites are turned over to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) for verification, and if found operating illegally, are blocked from the Philippine domain1. Paraiso said the agency is ready to take on a larger role in scanning the web for illegal gambling platforms once stricter regulations are issued1.
Mel Migriño, country head of Whoscall developer Gogolook, said Filipinos are now more informed about text scams and most no longer entertain them, but find it difficult to navigate the online realm, where scams are more challenging to distinguish1. Whoscall, developed by Taipei-based Gogolook, detects scam-linked numbers through its global phonebook1.
Separately, the digital advocacy network Digital Pinoys identified 20 influencers and social media pages with a combined following of over 44 million users as among those allegedly promoting illegal gambling operations1. Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo said at least four of these pages have been suspended on Facebook1.
What it means for players
The shift matters for anyone in the Philippines who bets online, whether local, expat or visitor. The reported growth is in links, not in licensed operators, and the article does not say which sites the 4,308 gambling links pointed to or whether any were licensed1. The government's own figure of up to 20 illegal gambling sites found daily suggests a steady supply of unlicensed platforms, which are blocked from the Philippine domain once PAGCOR verifies them as illegal1. The article does not report how many of the reported links led to sites that were later blocked, or how many involved losses.
The decline in text scams and calls does not mean fewer attempts overall. Whoscall's data shows reports moving to social media, especially Facebook, where links are harder to judge1. The article does not report how many of the gambling links were paid promotions or which platforms hosted them beyond Facebook.
What happens next
Policymakers are crafting tighter regulations on online gambling, covering prevention of underaged gaming and limits on daily buy-in1. The article does not give a date for when those rules will be issued. Paraiso said the cybercrime center is ready to take a larger role in scanning for illegal gambling platforms once stricter regulations are issued1. Digital Pinoys has urged Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, to take down pages of influencers allegedly promoting illegal gambling1. The article does not report a response from Meta or a timeline for further suspensions.
For background on how these schemes work and where to report them, see Gambling Scams in the Philippines and Gambling Scams and Safety in Asia.
