Philippine tax authorities are seeking to collect around 2.23 billion pesos, approximately $36.2 million, from Hongsheng Gaming Technology Ltd. for unpaid taxes, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. This sum includes corporate taxes, sales tax, and withholding taxes.
Hongsheng previously operated an online gambling business with licenses for offshore gaming. In 2024, local officials conducted a raid at the company’s facility located in Tarlac province amid suspicions of fraudulent activities. Alice Go, a former mayor of Bamban City, known as the "mayor of online gambling," was listed among the firm’s owners.
The property where Hongsheng operated belonged to Baofu Land Development. Reports indicate that Go might have fled via helicopter, allegedly arranged by a person named Guo; she was last confirmed to be in Hong Kong in September 2024.
An audit by the tax agency uncovered that Hongsheng potentially evaded around 2.2 billion pesos in taxes. In response, the agency lodged a criminal complaint with the Philippines’ Department of Justice in early August.
As of January 1, 2025, the Philippines imposed a total ban on the operations of offshore gaming companies.
