Authorities in the Philippines have arrested 94 individuals in connection with an illegal online and offline raffle operation in Tarlac province, according to the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).
The arrests stemmed from a joint law enforcement operation on June 29th targeting a group running unauthorized raffle draws through social media and physical locations without the required permits or regulatory approvals. Among those apprehended were three financiers and operators, 18 administrative staff, 43 head distributors, 19 distributors, and 11 agents.
The operation involved multiple government bodies, including the Police Regional Office – Central Luzon (PRO-3), the Tarlac Provincial Government, the Tarlac Provincial Health Unit, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
PNP-ACG Chief Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said the scheme had been under surveillance since February 2024, with the group actively livestreaming raffles via a Facebook page and falsely promoting them as legitimate. The illegal raffles used a traditional tambiolo (raffle drum) format, requiring bettors to purchase tickets for PHP20 ($0.34) each.
Grand prizes were falsely advertised to lure more participants, including a Toyota Fortuner valued at PHP4.5 million ($76,500), a business package worth PHP1 million ($17,000), a 150-square-meter land parcel valued at PHP1 million ($17,000), and a wedding package worth PHP500,000 ($8,500). However, investigators later found that these prizes were not actually awarded, and that alleged winners were insiders within the operation.
Yang noted that the organizers had been conducting these raffles monthly for the past five years, moving from location to location across Central Luzon to avoid detection. Bettors reportedly came from nearby provinces, expanding the geographic reach of the illegal activity. The group was operating without licenses or endorsements from PAGCOR, the GAB, the SEC, or the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and also lacked a business permit from the local government.
Charges have been filed under Presidential Decree 1602 on illegal gambling, as amended by Republic Act 9287, in conjunction with Section 6 of Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III has directed increased cyber patrolling and swift enforcement against digital gambling scams to prevent further abuse of online platforms.
