The Philippines’ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has referred 15 social media influencers to the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) for potential prosecution over the alleged promotion of unlicensed online gambling websites.
According to CICC officials, the influencers – each with audiences ranging from 1 million to over 9 million followers – were identified after the agency’s digital monitoring team observed their continued endorsement of gambling content linked to unregulated operators.
Authorities said that any formal charges could fall under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, provisions of the Revised Penal Code on fraud (estafa), and laws prescribing stricter penalties for illegal gambling. Further investigation is expected to determine whether a coordinated promotional network exists behind the content.
The CICC emphasized that this marks a transition from passive monitoring to active enforcement, part of a broader inter-agency campaign with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Philippine National Police (PNP) to curb the spread of unlicensed gambling operations online.
Meanwhile, local digital watchdog Digital Pinoys said it is turning over new software tools to the CICC to improve the identification and takedown of illicit gambling links across social media platforms.
