China ready to cooperate with Philippines on illegal offshore gambling

BEIJING – China is ready to fully cooperate with the Philippines to deal with illegal offshore gambling in the Philippines, the Chinese embassy in Manila said on Wednesday.

China helped Manila shut three illegal gambling zones and repatriated nearly 400 Chinese citizens, the embassy said, also urging the Philippines to take strong measures to crack down on such activities.

Offshore gambling emerged in the Philippines in 2016 and grew exponentially, as operators capitalised on the country’s liberal gaming laws to target customers in China, where gambling is banned. — Reuters