2 held over online bingo games

MANILA, Philippines — Two persons who allegedly organized illegal online bingo games, where players could win as high as P100,000, were arrested by Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) personnel in Quezon City on Friday.

April Vannessa Grace Magan and her partner, Anthony Torres, were apprehended during a raid on their house in Barangay Tandang Sora at around 9:55 p.m., ACG director Brig. Gen. Dennis Agustin said in a report.

The target of the operation was Magan whom the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) reported to the police for running bingo games on Facebook.

Col. Ramon Roque Gamboa, who heads the ACG’s cyber response unit, said Magan and her partner put up a Facebook group last April for her online bingo games.

The group has since attracted around 75,000 followers as Magan promised cash prizes as high as P100,000 for players who pay P20 each for every bingo card.

Seized during the operation were one laptop and six cell phones.