The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has reported receiving more than 1,890 complaints related to illegal online gambling platforms since the start of the year.
CICC Undersecretary Renato Paraiso expressed alarm over the rising cases, warning the public about influencers luring users into online betting.
“Nakaka-alarma ito. Kaya muli akong nagpapabala — mag-ingat ho tayo sa online. Sa bawat scroll ninyo sa Facebook o TikTok, may influencers na pilit kayong hinihila papunta sa sugal,” he said.
According to CICC, over 3,000 online merchants have already been blocked for links to illegal gambling sites, based on verified documentation from its Threat Monitoring Center in partnership with Digital Pinoys.
Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo added that their monitoring system flagged 3,700 illegal gambling sites in just the first four days of March.
Meanwhile, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reminded the public that only sites listed on its official website are considered legal.
“Kaya ginagawa po natin ito para magprotektahan natin ang ating mga mamamayan at magprotektaan din yung mga legal na industriya ng gambling. So patuloy po kami nagtatrabaho at mamaya ang hapon po mayroon kami workshop na naman,” said PAGCOR Security and Monitoring Cluster senior vice president Raul Villanueva.
Authorities urged Filipinos to remain cautious online and verify platforms before engaging, stressing that illegal gambling operations pose risks not only to consumers but also to the integrity of the country’s regulated gaming industry.