Facing ongoing pressure from the Senate, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) announced a series of tougher regulatory measures against online gambling. These measures target the core pain points of the industry, including possibly extending the gambling advertising ban from prime time to 24 hours a day, and launching a 24/7 responsible gambling hotline. The Pagcor chairman revealed at the hearing that a full-day advertising ban is under consultation with the industry. Meanwhile, the regulatory body has plugged the loopholes in identity verification (KYC), now requiring players to provide identity documents and upload real-time selfies for comparison, to prevent identity theft. This set of "combination punches" clearly indicates that Philippine gambling regulation is moving from market access to deeper areas of consumer protection and digital security.
Advertising and Marketing: From Time-Limited to Potential "Round-the-Clock" Ban
In terms of advertising regulation, Pagcor's actions are swift and decisive. Currently, gambling advertisements during prime time on television are completely banned, and the next step under study is the "round-the-clock ban" that the outside world is concerned about. This means that in the future, gambling advertisements may completely disappear from the Philippine broadcast spectrum. Moreover, the scope of regulation is rapidly covering the digital world: Pagcor is working with the Advertising Standards Council to formulate advertising rules for social media and other digital platforms, and to monitor and block illegal advertisements. Simply put, whether it's traditional media or emerging traffic positions, the "wild growth" era of gambling marketing is coming to an end.
KYC Process: Technical "Leak Plugging" and Real-Name System Strengthening
In the player access link, Pagcor also shows a "serious" attitude. Previously, some platforms had a "play first, verify later" loophole, which has now been completely plugged. The new KYC process is quite strict, requiring:
Name and valid contact information
Government-issued valid identity documents
Real-time selfie matching the identity document
This "real-name + real-person" verification combination punch aims to fundamentally combat the behavior of borrowing, stealing, or forging identities for registration. This is exactly what senators repeatedly emphasize, the key technical barrier to prevent minors from accessing gambling and curb money laundering risks.
Responsible Gambling: From Tools to Hotline Comprehensive Support
In addition to restrictions and reviews, Pagcor is also actively building a safety net. Its measures to strengthen responsible gambling are multi-dimensional:
Providing online self-exclusion tools, allowing players to set restrictions proactively.
Certifying problem gambling recovery centers, providing professional help.
Planning to establish a 24-hour confidential consultation hotline, offering immediate support to individuals and their families troubled by gambling issues.
Cooperating with state-owned banks to develop safeguard programs, guiding funds to flow only to licensed platforms.
According to the PASA official website, this mode of "high-pressure regulation" and "strong protection" is becoming the standard practice in more and more mature regulatory markets. It sends a clear signal: the core purpose of regulation is not only to standardize the industry but also to protect citizen welfare and maintain financial system safety.
Pagcor's stance at the Senate hearing marks the entry of Philippine online gambling regulation into a more refined and stricter phase. From advertising to identity, from prevention to rescue, regulatory reach is extending to every link. For the industry, adapting to this comprehensive compliance environment will be a prerequisite for survival and development; for the public, it means stronger protection. Continuous attention to the PASA official website helps to grasp such key regulatory policy changes in a timely manner.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
