Philippine gov't: Proposed iGaming ban needs thorough study
The Philippine government has cautioned against hasty moves to ban online gambling in the Philippines. In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said that such a measure must be thoroughly studied to assess its full impact on the economy and public welfare.
Speaking with local media, Castro addressed the growing calls for a total ban on online gambling, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s omission of the issue in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“This should be studied carefully. If we immediately remove online gambling, licensed operators will be affected, and we must ask if this will reduce the assistance being given to the country, students, and citizens,” Castro said in Filipino. “The President cannot act in haste here.”
She emphasised the economic relevance of online gambling, noting that it contributes revenue that benefits various sectors. “The revenues from licensed online gambling provide assistance to the citizens,” she said.
Castro also highlighted the need to locate the source of gambling addiction before making any policy move. “We must first know where the problem lies—whether it’s in the licence, the app, or unlicensed operations. We need to know where our people are getting addicted,” she said.
Senate to start probe, industry leaders warn of unintended consequences
Meanwhile, the Philippine Senate is set to conduct hearings on the impact of online gambling next week. Philippine Senators Pia Cayetano, Allan Cayetano, and Joel Villanueva have filed bills pushing for an outright ban, citing rising addiction and social harm.
Meanwhile, Marie Antonette Quiogue, Founder of Arden Consult, earlier warned that banning online gambling outright could have negative consequences.
“A complete ban could backfire—driving it underground, weakening oversight, and undoing progress made under the current legal framework,” Quiogue said in a LinkedIn post. She urged Philippine lawmakers to base their decisions on “accurate knowledge, comprehensive data, and global perspectives.”
Quiogue also defended the regulatory framework implemented by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). She described the current framework as “coherent and enforceable,” with systems in place for real-time monitoring, audits, and cybersecurity.
She also criticised proposals that would criminalise individual gamblers. “One of the pending bills takes the extreme step of criminalising any person who places, receives, or knowingly transmits a bet online. It turns ordinary players into criminals without clearly addressing how the law intends to catch them.”
Quiogue stressed that regulation, not prohibition, is the solution. “The real enemy is illegal gambling—operations that bypass regulation, pay no taxes, and offer no player protections.” She proposed stricter regulations for affiliates, influencers, and B2B providers, as well as stronger enforcement mechanisms, including website blocking and domain seizures.
Study: Filipino players prefer regulation over prohibition
A recent survey by research firm The Fourth Wall revealed that a majority of online gamblers in the Philippines favour tighter regulation rather than a total ban. The nationwide study of over 1,000 online gamblers showed that players are more concerned about scams and illegal operations than the availability of gambling itself.
The study also reveals that players’ demand for “legitimate platforms to avoid scams” showed a clear desire for safety and oversight rather than access restrictions.
PAGCOR moves to tighten advertising and oversight
Amid increased scrutiny, PAGCOR has ordered the removal of all gambling advertisements from public spaces and primetime television by 15 August. The agency also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ad Standards Council (ASC) to enhance monitoring of gambling ads across platforms.
In parallel, the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center has taken down nearly 7,000 unlicensed gambling websites. Influencers have also been ordered to remove content promoting illegal operators.
