The Philippines has recently seen a resurgence of major news related to offshore gaming operators (POGOs), drawing continuous attention from all sectors of society and showing that despite official bans, the cleanup storm is far from over.
The first to attract widespread attention was the money laundering case involving Guo Hua Ping, which shook the political arena. The Department of Justice (DOJ) of the Philippines recently formally charged the former mayor of Bangbang Town, Guo Hua Ping, with a total of 62 criminal charges related to money laundering. The prosecution accused her of being involved in a large-scale illegal fund movement, involving multiple illegal POGO enterprises and suspected transnational criminal groups.
According to official disclosures, these 62 charges specifically include 26 counts of illegal handling of funds, 5 counts of assisting in fund transfers, and 31 counts of conspiracy to launder money. The case has a wide-ranging impact, not only involving several family members of Guo Hua Ping as co-defendants but also implicating former executives of well-known POGO enterprises such as Hongsheng, Zunyuan, and Baofu. These companies had been previously sealed multiple times for gambling, fraud, human trafficking, and other issues, and their underlying financial networks are suspected of being laundered through disguised investments in agriculture, real estate, and other projects.
Meanwhile, another law enforcement action involving POGOs also made headlines across major media in the Philippines. Police recently arrested a security department head at the Lucky South 99 Park, accusing him of assisting in illegal detention and fraud activities within the park. This move follows multiple previous actions against human trafficking, illegal confinement of employees, and online fraud at the South 99 Park, as law enforcement continues to hold those involved accountable.
The ban is nearly a year old, and law enforcement efforts continue to intensify
Since the Marcos administration initiated the "gradual elimination of illegal POGOs" in mid-2023, nearly a year has passed. Although the government's ban has become increasingly clear, the search and elimination actions against POGOs have not diminished. In the first half of 2025 alone, there were several sensational arrests:
—Surprise raid in Pasay City: 49 foreign employees arrested On March 14, 2025, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) jointly raided an office building on Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City, arresting 49 foreigners. They were using legitimate online marketing as a cover, but were actually engaged in fraudulent activities. Among those arrested were a Bangladeshi illegal recruiter and a Pakistani citizen involved in financial fraud. All have been included in the deportation and blacklist procedures.
—Joint law enforcement in Subic: 8 involved in POGO kidnapping case arrested On March 19, the NBI, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and Naval Special Warfare Group (NAVSOG) conducted a joint operation on Grande Island, arresting 6 Chinese and 2 Filipinos. One of the Chinese suspects, Ye Tianwu, was charged with violating the Securities Regulation Act and the Cybercrime Law, and a large amount of electronic equipment and ammunition was seized at the scene.
—Mass arrests: 549 foreign employees charged with illegal operations On February 27 and March 7, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided two POGO centers in Parañaque and Pasay City, respectively, detaining 549 foreign nationals. These individuals were accused of participating in illegal gambling operations, with 18 additionally involved in human trafficking crimes. Most suspects will be quickly deported, including Chinese citizens who will be sent back by chartered flights from China.
—Illegal escape: Chinese POGO employees attempt to use the "southern passage" On March 21, 5 blacklisted Chinese employees attempted to smuggle out of the country via the waters of Tawi-Tawi province, heading to a neighboring country. Due to a mechanical failure during the boat trip, they were rescued and detained by the Philippine Coast Guard. Two of them were wanted criminals in China, and all five were related to the "Lucky South 99" park, which had been investigated for suspected human trafficking in 2024.
—Money laundering suspect arrested in Pasay On March 4, the Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) of the Bureau of Immigration detained a 35-year-old Chinese man in Pasay City. He is reported to be a member of an illegal POGO money laundering network and is awaiting deportation after being convicted of fraud in China.
"Hit the small, not the big"? The masterminds behind the scenes are still not exposed
From the current progress of law enforcement, the vast majority of those arrested are middle-level or frontline executors, and the real core operators have not yet appeared. Although Guo Hua Ping's identity is sensitive and the case is significant, she is more likely to be a "partner" or "white glove" for multiple platforms, not the real mastermind.
For example, her family's relationship with platforms such as Zunyuan and Baofu is more of a bridge for funds and connections. And people like Wu Duanren, who had previously appeared prominently in the POGO industry, had already "shed their cocoons" before the ban was issued, transferring assets or having already "laundered" them.
Philippine Congressman Zhang Qiaowei once stated that the Guo Hua Ping case could become a "touchstone" for cleaning up the illegal gambling industry. Whether it can promote a more in-depth investigation and even bring out the real "big fish" still depends on the government's political determination in the next phase.
The "license restart dream" may have already shattered
It is worth mentioning that when the POGO ban was first issued, many in the Chinese community still harbored illusions, thinking that the ban was just a temporary measure and that the government might reissue licenses in the future. Some "gray industry" teams chose to wait and see, ready to make a comeback at an opportune moment.
Now, it seems that such "resurrection dreams" are gradually shattering. The criminal prosecution of the Guo Hua Ping case indicates that the government has elevated the fight against illegal gambling to the levels of national governance, financial security, and transnational crime, making the rectification action more enduring and thorough.
Perhaps, as that comment said: "The golden age has ended." What remains is a storm that has not yet completely subsided and the wait for the "big fish."
