PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., on Thursday said his administration has yet to finalize its policy on online gambling, amid growing calls from lawmakers and civil society groups to impose tighter regulations or a full ban on the sector.
“We had not — we still have to form the policy on what we are going to do about online gambling, and to this end, I have already started to organize… to convene a conference of… [with] stakeholders,” he said in a video blog posted on his social media.
Mr. Marcos said the government must first hold a broad consultation involving regulators, church leaders, parents, and other affected sectors before laying down rules. He warned that an outright ban could push the industry underground, rendering it even more difficult to regulate.
The President’s remarks come as civil society groups and lawmakers raised concerns over the proliferation of digital gambling platforms, citing addiction and mounting debt among vulnerable communities, particularly the youth.
Despite the urgency, he skipped the subject during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 28.
“The first effect of banning it fully is to put it underground, and then we have no control,” he said. “That’s when there is really no regulation.”
Mr. Marcos distinguished the current debate over online gambling from the previous controversy surrounding Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
While POGOs were not initially illegal, their operations were later marred by human trafficking and scams, prompting a total ban he announced on his third SONA in 2024.
Rather than targeting online gambling as a whole, the President emphasized that the administration’s priority would be addressing the social costs, such as indebtedness and youth exposure to gambling.
“The problem is not online gambling. The problem[s] are the social effects on our children and those who are addicted to gambling,” he noted.
The government is expected to unveil a clearer policy framework following the outcome of stakeholder consultations.
On the same day, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is finalizing new rules to mitigate gambling-related harm by strengthening financial safeguards across banks, e-wallets, and payment platforms.
Proposed measures include biometric ID checks, daily transaction limits, time-based payment restrictions, and user tools for spending caps, voluntary breaks, and self-exclusion.
The BSP said these safeguards aim to curb addiction, fraud, and financial harm while encouraging responsible use of digital finance.
The overall gaming industry booked P215-billion gross gaming revenue in the first half, with P93.36 billion generated by integrated resorts. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
