The Philippine Congress is brewing an unprecedented "online anti-gambling war," targeting the increasingly covert online gambling activities. Several senators have recently submitted bills to completely ban online gambling and restrict the gambling payment functions of e-wallet platforms such as GCash and Maya, attempting to fundamentally cut off the spread and financial flow of online gambling.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri's proposed "2025 Anti-Online Gambling Act" explicitly stipulates the prohibition of all digital gambling activities within the Philippines, including betting through websites, mobile apps, and even social media-driven betting. The bill grants enforcement authority to the Department of Justice and the national gambling company (PAGCOR), requiring telecom and internet service providers to block relevant domain names or remove applications within 72 hours upon detection of illegal platforms.
"Pogo is exiting, but online gambling is quietly infiltrating every household," Zubiri warned, "Children hide under the covers betting on their phones, losing the family's meal money without anyone noticing." He emphasized that gambling is no longer confined to casinos or specific locations, but has spread to every corner of society with the proliferation of smartphones, and "must be strictly controlled from the source."
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian focuses on the "payment link," suggesting the establishment of stricter transaction interception mechanisms to prevent financial technology platforms from facilitating gambling transactions. He advocates that e-wallets like GCash and Maya should be responsible for the gambling flow on their platforms, "no longer allowing mobile one-click transfers to aid online gambling."
Another senator, JV Ejercito, also publicly supports the legislation, pointing out that the harm of electronic gambling "even exceeds POGO." He specifically named forms like electronic cockfighting (e-sabong), claiming they are poisoning the most vulnerable people, "even risking pensions and scholarships overnight."
Public concern is also intensifying, especially with frequent gambling ads on the homepage of e-wallets, some celebrities endorsing illegal platforms, and a large number of gambling-related internet memes spreading on social media, leaving many people unguarded. Zubiri criticized that these phenomena have constituted a "systematic infiltration" into public life.
In response, the national gambling company PAGCOR expressed support for the legislative direction, stating that it has cooperated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to shut down over 7,000 illegal gambling websites and promised to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies. However, PAGCOR also warned that without a corresponding regulatory mechanism, it might face a situation of "endless blocking."
As the bill gradually progresses in Congress, the Philippine online gambling ecosystem may experience a forced "cleanup." Whether this comprehensive blockade can truly be effective and save countless families trapped in online gambling remains to be observed.
