Philippines Illegal Online Gambling Drops Sharply in 2025

Illegal online gambling in the Philippines has plunged dramatically, with authorities reporting a 93% decline in unlicensed activity during the third quarter of 2025. The drop follows an intensified government crackdown and stronger coordination between regulatory agencies and private cybersecurity firms.

Coordinated Effort Delivers Historic Results

Data from Gogolook and its scam-detection platform Whoscall show that reports of gambling-related websites and scam links fell from over 4,300 in Q2 to just 275 in Q3 2025. Officials credit the steep decline to a nationwide, multi-agency campaign led by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

CICC Acting Executive Director Aboy Paraiso highlighted the joint work of PAGCOR, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

Paraiso confirmed that around 10,000 gambling websites have been removed this year, calling it a clear example of what unified enforcement can achieve.

The Impact of the POGO Ban

The results come after the ban on all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) took effect on December 31, 2024. Any remaining offshore-focused operations now fall under illegal activity, fueling the sharp rise in enforcement.

While PAGCOR continues to regulate licensed platforms, the PAOCC and several lawmakers are pushing for a full online-gambling ban, citing national-security and social-impact concerns. The debate underscores the government’s challenge in balancing regulation with restriction.

Cybercrime Threats Still Rising

Despite the crackdown’s success, other online crimes are increasing. Whoscall reported a 78% surge in scam calls between July and September 2025, from 34,964 to 62,390 incidents. This shift suggests cybercriminals are adapting their methods as gambling-related enforcement tightens.

To improve digital readiness, the CICC will open a digital forensics training center at Camp John Hay in Baguio City, training analysts from the PNP-ACG, NBI Cybercrime Group, and Department of Justice’s Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC).

Strengthening Cyber Infrastructure

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is also upgrading payment networks in partnership with telecom providers. Modernizing outdated 2G and 3G terminals aims to close security gaps ahead of the holiday season, when cybercrime attempts typically surge.

DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda said the modernization push will help secure digital transactions. It will further improve the country’s cyber resilience in the long term.

Final Thoughts

The Philippines’ campaign against illegal online gambling has produced one of its strongest enforcement milestones yet, cutting unlicensed operations by over 90% in a single quarter. While the country celebrates this progress, rising scam activity shows the fight against cybercrime is far from over. Continued modernization, inter-agency coordination, and public vigilance remain key to sustaining these hard-won gains.