Philippines’ iGaming sites shift to other apps amid e-wallet ban
The fight against online gambling is continuing to evolve as operators move away from e-wallets to other widely used digital platforms, according to Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo. This comes after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country’s central bank, ordered payment service providers to cut off links to gambling sites embedded in their applications.
Tulfo, chair of the Senate committee on games and amusement, said gambling operators have already begun using messaging applications such as Viber and Telegram, as well as e-commerce sites like Lazada, to sustain their operations. His remarks followed a Senate hearing last week, during which regulators detailed recent enforcement actions.
BSP orders compliance from e-wallets
During the 14 August hearing, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan stated that the central bank had instructed e-wallet firms to remove gambling features from their apps. Both GCash and Maya confirmed they have complied with the directive.
Maya announced that it had disabled gambling-related access through its Games feature on 16 August, while GCash had cut access earlier through its GLife service. Tulfo noted that despite this, gambling operators were quick to redirect users to other platforms.
The senator stated that one such operator, BingoPlus, issued an advisory informing users that they could continue playing through its app, website, and Viber, while still processing deposits and withdrawals via the country’s leading e-wallets. Lazada was also flagged for selling BingoPlus vouchers, which function as credits in the gambling app.
Nearly 12,000 illegal sites identified
At the same hearing, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center reported that it had taken down 8,901 illegal gambling websites. It also presented data suggesting that 11,985 illegal sites are operating in the Philippines, including 6,363 online casinos and 4,815 online cockfighting platforms.
Senators did not discuss the methodology behind the numbers, such as whether the figures referred to unique operators or mirrored sites across multiple domains. Tulfo said a more coordinated approach from regulators and law enforcement agencies is needed to curb the spread of unregulated gambling.
Gatchalian: ‘This is predatory’
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian expressed alarm at the shift of gambling operations to mainstream apps and called for an immediate regulatory response.
“I am deeply concerned by reports that online gambling has infiltrated some of the most widely used digital platforms, including messaging apps and e-commerce sites such as Viber, Telegram, and Lazada. This is a malicious and predatory practice that we should not tolerate,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
He urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DOCT) to act without delay. “These sites are appearing everywhere. The government must act faster! Our phones and online apps cannot simply be turned into gambling platforms,” he said in Filipino.
Gatchalian also argued that banning online gambling may not be sufficient, citing the continued prevalence of e-sabong despite its prohibition. “It’s time to have stricter regulations that have real teeth. A ban alone may not be enough. Online gambling operators would likely just move underground, making it even harder for authorities to regulate operations and putting vulnerable Filipinos, especially the youth, at greater risk,” he added.
The senator has previously filed a bill seeking stricter rules on online gambling, citing addiction, criminal activity, and mental health concerns. “We need to tighten regulations on online gambling because more and more Filipinos are getting addicted to it and more and more lives and dreams are being ruined because of it,” he said.
Licensed operators defend regulated sector
Licensed gambling operators, meanwhile, stressed that the focus should remain on illegal platforms. A group of iGaming companies under the PlaySafe Alliance in the Philippines stated that regulated firms adhere to consumer protection measures that illegal operators often overlook.
“Licensed operators are subject to oversight, audits, and sanctions,” the alliance said. “Where regulation exists, protection exists; where illegality thrives, protection vanishes.”
The group pointed out that licensed platforms implement Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks, age verification, and responsible gaming tools, and that regulators have complete visibility into their payment flows.
They also warned against cutting off payment channels for regulated firms. “Delinking licensed operators from online payment platforms would not stop gambling. It risks pushing players into the dark corners of the internet where activity is untraceable, taxes disappear, and harm is harder to detect,” the group said.
The alliance added that it supports the BSP’s consumer protection goals but maintained that enforcement should focus on eliminating unlicensed operators rather than disrupting the regulated market.
