The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Advertising Standards Council (ASC) on July 16 to jointly strengthen the regulation of online gambling platform advertisements, focusing on cleaning up high-exposure channels such as billboards and prime-time TV ads. PAGCOR Chairman Tengco stated that this move aims to curb the proliferation of gambling advertisements in public spaces.
Tengco pointed out that recently, many online gambling platform advertisements have sprung up like mushrooms after the rain, affecting social order and public perception. He emphasized that after the cooperation mechanism is established, platforms will be given a transition period to remove non-compliant advertisements and comply with the upcoming size and content standards.
This cooperation comes at a time when the government is assessing whether to restrict or even completely ban online gambling. Tengco revealed that PAGCOR is developing stricter regulatory policies, expected to release new rules next week, covering key areas such as player protection, advertising restrictions, and age verification mechanisms.
He stated that a complete ban on gambling is not realistic in the current internet environment, and PAGCOR will promote stronger regulatory alternatives to bans. At the same time, Tengco also warned that although there are currently about 70 legal platforms, there are still hundreds of illegal gambling websites in the Philippines, and the rectification and enforcement will continue to escalate.
