Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced a ban on gambling operations targeting overseas gamblers, including Chinese mainlanders, due to crimes linked to the industry.

Marcos instructed the gaming regulator to wind down and end such offshore operations by the year’s end, citing grave abuses of the country’s laws.

The President highlighted illegal activities like financial scams, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and murder linked to these firms, which began targeting international markets in 2016. The industry employs around 25,000 Filipinos and nearly 23,000 foreigners.

(With inputs from agencies.)