Philippine authorities have arrested 16 individuals linked to an illegal online raffle on Facebook in a joint operation between the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) and representatives of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
According to a press release, PAGCOR indicated that the suspects, who operated the Facebook Page Lucky Dream 4, were apprehended in their office inside a subdivision in Biñan, Laguna while livestreaming their 50th raffle event.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco stated that the arrest was part of the state gaming agency’s commitment to intensify the fight against illegal online gambling through strengthened collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
“We have been receiving reports of illegal online activities, including those on social media platforms. As the country’s gaming regulator, it is our duty to protect the public, especially the youth, from these illegal online gambling sites,” he said.
PAGCOR Senior Vice President Raul Villanueva added that Lucky Dream 4, which has 111,000 followers on Facebook, has been conducting live online raffle games and offering second-hand modified motorcycles as prizes.
“They have amassed over PHP8 million ($140,000) from the time they started this illegal online operation because in one draw, they can sell as many as 50,000 tickets,” said Villanueva, head of the PAGCOR Security Group.
