38 collectors of illegal gambling booths in Cebu face charges

Authorities shut down operation of illegal small-town lottery (STL) booths in Carcar City and nabbed the tellers who were caught accepting bets from NBI poseur bettors. | NBI-7 Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A total of 38 persons were nabbed for allegedly manning and collecting from illegal small-town lottery (STL) games run by “Buenas Gaming” and other organizations all over the province of Cebu.

The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) stated in a press release that the group known as “Buenas Gaming” was found to be operating illegally to the betting public in Cebu.

A certification was issued by Glen Jesus M. Rada, manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Cebu branch, declaring that the organization is neither registered nor an authorized agent of PCSO in the province of Cebu, said the agency.

As such, the certification also revealed that all of the employees of “Buenas Gaming” do not have the authorization or license to engage in STL operations within the province.

In relation to this, the NBI Cebu District Office (CEBDO) and Central Visayas Regional Office (CEVRO) conducted a joint and simultaneous anti-illegal gambling operations in different cities and municipalities in Cebu on August 10, 2023.

This is in line with their intensified law enforcement operations against illegal gambling activities as directed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Jose Cadiz Jr.,according to NBI-7.

The various operations resulted in the neutralization of a total of 20 betting stations located in Carcar City, Barili, Toledo City, and Minglanilla.

A total of 20 bet collectors or tellers of these respective stations were arrested after they were caught in the act of personally accepting bets from NBI poseur bettors.

Operatives arrest tellers of illegal small-town lottery (STL) games in Minglanilla during the simultaneous anti-illegal gambling operations all over Cebu. | NBI-7 Photo

Operatives also confiscated gambling paraphernalia, instruments, articles and proceeds of their alleged illegal gambling operation during their operations.

The agency stated that the cases against the individuals have been filed at the respective Prosecutors Office with jurisdiction in the places they were arrested in.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Cebu District Office apprehended a total of 18 individuals during a simultaneous operation against illegal gambling on July 27, 2023 in the municipalities of Cordova, Compostela, Liloan, and Consolacion.

The authorities were able to shut down operation in these places by “Buenas Gaming” and other groups that do not have a license and authority to engage in PCSO administered games, said NBI-7.

The 18 arrested individuals have been charged before the Provincial Prosecutors Office.

NBI-7 said that all 38 arrested subjects will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9287, otherwise known as an Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Gambling in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Law.

However, they have been released after posting bail on Tuesday, August 15,2023.

NBI-7 told CDN Digital that there is still no information on the founder or owner of “Buenas Gaming” and these other groups as they have emissaries directly communicating with the arrested persons while they were detained.

The agency also said that as per PCSO, the problem of illegal gambling entities has been rampant in the province of Cebu in recent times.

/bmjo