The Philippine gaming regulatory body PAGCOR recently disclosed important operational data. At the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing on September 16, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Jessa Mariz Fernandez confirmed that due to major electronic payment platforms severing connections with online gambling, the agency saw a 40% to 50% decline in revenue in the first two weeks after the policy implementation. This data is based on real-time statistics from the accounting department and the electronic gaming licensing department.
Regulatory Policy Background and Development
This revenue fluctuation stems from regulatory measures by the Central Bank of the Philippines. In August 2024, in response to a surge in in-app gambling transactions, the central bank required electronic wallet platforms such as GCash and PayMaya to sever online gambling payment interfaces. This decision aims to enforce the Senate's anti-illegal gambling bill requirements.
PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Fernandez made it clear at the hearing that the agency supports a "strict regulation rather than a total ban" stance. She emphasized that this policy adjustment is a necessary process to establish a healthier industry ecosystem and revealed that a technological regulatory upgrade plan is forthcoming.
Technological Regulatory Upgrade Plan
PAGCOR is advancing the deployment of an artificial intelligence monitoring system. This system is capable of real-time detection of illegal gambling sites and plans to establish a collaborative mechanism with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the National Telecommunications Center, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to quickly block non-compliant sites. This technological upgrade marks a new era of proactive, technology-driven regulation for Philippine online gambling, moving away from the passive mode dependent on licensed merchants and player reports.
Key Industry Development Data
Senator Miguel Zubiri disclosed the development trends of the Philippine online gambling market at the meeting. In 2022, the industry revenue was 8 billion pesos, which soared to 1,357.1 billion pesos by 2024, growing more than 55 times in four years. The revenue in the first half of 2025 reached 1,065.3 billion pesos, continuing the growth momentum. These data indicate that despite facing short-term adjustments, the long-term development foundation of the industry remains solid.
Industry Impact and Future Outlook
The revenue fluctuations caused by payment channel adjustments are an inevitable phenomenon during the regulatory transition period. Industry experts point out that these short-term adjustments highlight the regulatory body's efforts to balance multiple objectives, including strengthening consumer protection, standardizing the industry operating environment, and ensuring fiscal sustainability. Fernandez stated, "We are undergoing a necessary transformation process, and the technological regulatory upgrade will lay a more solid foundation for the sustainable development of the industry."
This regulatory upgrade is expected to have a profound impact on the structure of the Philippine gambling industry. Legal licensed operators need to adapt to the new payment environment, and the enhancement of technological regulatory capabilities will effectively compress the space for illegal operations. Industry observers believe that this structural adjustment will ultimately promote the Philippine gambling market towards a more regulated and sustainable direction.
