TLDR
- The Philippine National Police arrested 9,401 people in July for illegal gambling.
- Officers seized more than PHP3.2 million, about $53,000, in betting money.
- Police also confiscated gambling equipment and other related materials.
- PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said community tips help locate gambling hubs.
- Operations covered Metro Manila along with provinces and remote areas nationwide.
The Philippine National Police arrested 9,401 people in July for taking part in illegal gambling. The arrests came from operations carried out across the country.
Police said they seized more than PHP3.2 million, or about $53,000, worth of betting money. They also took gambling equipment and other related items during the raids.
The report was released by the PNP as part of its regular update on the anti-gambling campaign. It covers arrests and seizures made only in the month of July.
Community Tips Help Find Gambling Sites
PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said tips from the public are one of the most useful tools for finding illegal gambling operations. He said these sites still exist in both cities and rural towns.
Nartatez said residents play a key role in helping police identify where gambling activity is taking place. Information from the community often points police toward specific locations.
That information is then used to plan police operations against suspected gambling sites. Nartatez said this method will keep being used as part of the wider campaign.
He added that community-based intelligence remains central to how police target new locations. The PNP has not said how many tips led directly to arrests in July.
Crackdown Reaches Beyond Manila
Nartatez said enforcement is not limited to Metro Manila. He said the same level of activity is being applied in municipalities, provinces, and remote areas.
The PNP described the effort as a national campaign rather than one focused only on major cities. Officials said this approach is meant to give attention to gambling activity outside urban centers.
By highlighting operations outside the capital, the PNP pointed to its goal of a nationwide response. The police said intensified operations are continuing across the country.
The force has not released a breakdown showing how many arrests came from Metro Manila compared with other regions. The July total covers all areas combined.
Police did not provide details on the type of gambling involved in the July arrests. The PNP presented only the combined numbers as part of its monthly report.
The agency has not said whether any of the July cases involved larger gambling networks. No further details were shared beyond the arrest and seizure totals.
The July figures add to the PNP’s ongoing record of enforcement action against illegal gambling. Police said they will continue operations targeting both gambling sites and the people who take part in them.
Nartatez said the campaign is meant to address gambling activity as well as other crimes that may be linked to it. He described the effort as part of broader work to support peace and order in communities.
With July’s numbers now added to its total, the PNP said it will keep pursuing illegal gambling operations across the country. The police said community tips will remain a key part of future operations.
