On September 16, during a hearing, Philippine Senate Minority Deputy Leader Rodante Marcoleta proposed a new suggestion, urging the government to consider involving legal online gambling operators in the fight against illegal gambling websites. The legislator pointed out that illegal online gambling activities continue to exist nationwide, and the current regulatory measures need to be further strengthened.
Senator Marcoleta suggested at the hearing that since legal gambling operators are already under government regulation, these enterprises should play a greater role in intelligence sharing and technical monitoring. He believes that legal operators have a deep understanding of the industry ecosystem and can provide valuable reference information to regulatory authorities, assisting in identifying and combating illegal platforms.
Representatives from the Philippine Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center revealed at the meeting that law enforcement agencies have shut down over 10,000 illegal gambling websites and applications to date. However, since most illegal platform servers are located overseas, and users often use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass geographical restrictions, this poses a significant challenge to law enforcement efforts.
Marcoleta further suggested that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation should strengthen cooperation with technology companies. He specifically mentioned establishing a closer collaboration mechanism with operators of app stores like Google and Apple, to strictly audit and restrict the launch review of gambling applications. The senator emphasized that regardless of the nature of operations, online gambling activities pose certain social risks that require joint attention and response from all parties.
The legislator expressed approval of the measures previously taken by the Central Bank of the Philippines but considered disconnecting e-wallets from gambling applications as only a temporary solution. He suggested establishing a more long-term mechanism, reducing the survival space of illegal gambling activities fundamentally through technological means and industry cooperation.
This hearing reflects the Philippine government's ongoing concern about online gambling issues. As discussions deepen, regulatory authorities are considering adopting more diversified governance strategies to balance industry development with social responsibility. Industry observers believe that this approach of "using legal to restrict illegal" may provide a new solution path for online gambling regulation.
