POGO storm sweeps through the Philippines? China-Philippines joint investigation mechanism activated, gambling personnel information may be thoroughly investigated.

The Philippines, once seen by many as a "low-risk, high-return" gambling hotspot, attracted thousands of practitioners to the POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) scene—high salaries, lax regulation, and operational gray areas fueled numerous short-term arbitrage fantasies.

However, this situation is rapidly changing.

High-level closed-door talks between China and the Philippines directly addressed POGO and cross-border fraud chains.

In mid-June 2025, the Vice Director of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Cruz, led a delegation to China and held closed-door consultations with senior Chinese officials in Shanghai. The meeting focused on POGO regulation, telecommunications fraud, money laundering, and other gray and black issues.

This was not a mere diplomatic formality but a step-by-step, targeted joint cleanup operation.

Before this, the Philippines had just deported 100 Chinese nationals suspected of illegal gambling. According to Cruz, up to now, 3,483 foreign nationals have been arrested, and 2,517 have been deported, with the cleanup operation still expanding.

Evidence held by law enforcement agencies from multiple countries shows that some illegal POGO zones use legal visas as cover while secretly engaging in fraud, extortion, and money laundering activities. Shockingly, some "licensed legitimate companies" even provide technical, manpower, or financial channels for such activities, pushing the entire industry's reputation to the brink of collapse.

Three major cooperation mechanisms were established, and China and the Philippines officially joined hands in law enforcement.

During the talks, the two sides reached a deep consensus on the following three points:

Accelerating the identification and deportation of problematic individuals;

Establishing a "Permanent China-Philippines Cooperation Mechanism" focusing on cross-border criminal cases;

Achieving intelligence synchronization, data sharing, and joint investigations.

China also publicly disclosed for the first time the latest data on Chinese citizens involved in cases in the Philippines: 60 cases have been confirmed, 17 people have died, and another 66 unidentified bodies are suspected to be related to the fraud zones, with investigations still progressing.

Information barriers are being broken down, and historical records may be synchronized back to the home country.

Another clear signal from this round of joint actions is that data channels are opening up.

Although there is no official announcement yet, multiple signs indicate that personal information exchange between China and the Philippines is progressing:

China proactively disclosed cases of death and disappearance for the first time;

The content of the talks explicitly mentioned intelligence synchronization and cross-border tracking;

Some individuals returning from the Philippines have been interviewed or restricted from leaving the country upon arrival at the airport.

This means that your professional experience, visa records, financial flows, and background of service units in the Philippines may enter a shared database in the future.

It's not just illegal activities that are being investigated, but the ability to prove you haven't committed any offenses.

This crackdown is not limited to telecom fraud practitioners. Whether it's affiliated companies, project outsourcing, providing software technology, or even just financial transactions and leasing cooperation, any involvement with POGO enterprises may be investigated in the future as part of the "associated path."

For Chinese businessmen, employers, and employees, the business environment in the Philippines has entered an era of "compliance first"—it's not just about being illegal that's dangerous, but you must always be ready to prove your innocence.

Surviving in the ebbing tide of gray production is the real skill.

Today's Philippines is no longer the loophole-filled gold rush paradise.

Gray profits are exiting, and regulatory pressure continues to increase. The intensity and depth of the joint rectification by China and the Philippines will refresh industry perceptions.

At this moment, the competition is not about running fast, but about living steadily.

Legal employment, standardized contracts, and avoiding high-risk licenses are the real "safety boundaries" for gambling personnel.