PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday vowed to tighten online gambling rules, saying the fast-growing industry exploits consumer vulnerabilities and threatens the stability of the country’s financial system.
Speaking at the Manila Tech Summit 2025 in Taguig City, the President said his administration has begun suspending gambling features embedded in e-wallets and websites as part of efforts to shield Filipinos from scams, addiction and unsafe digital transactions.
“There is the growing problem of online gambling, which preys on our people’s vulnerabilities,” he said. “We are addressing this through initial measures… This way, we can help protect our citizens and preserve the integrity of our financial system.”
Civil society groups and lawmakers have been pressing for tighter oversight of online gambling platforms, citing their social costs. Mr. Marcos earlier expressed support for stronger regulation but ruled out a total shutdown.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Aug. 14 ordered e-wallet providers, banks and other financial institutions to remove in-app gambling features and links to gaming websites.
GCash and Maya have since complied. The BSP is also preparing measures such as bans on credit card use for betting, biometric verification, transaction limits and self-exclusion tools.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) expects revenue to reach P116.65 billion this year, with online gaming projected to contribute about P62 billion to P65 billion, or 60% of total collections, Pagcor Chairman Alejandro H. Tengco earlier told congressmen.
Alongside the crackdown, Mr. Marcos pledged to accelerate the Philippines’ shift to a digital economy. He noted the sector was valued at P2.25 trillion in 2024, or 8.5% of gross domestic product, and created 11.3 million jobs. More than half of all payment transactions last year were made digitally, he said.
“Technology allows more opportunities to reach every Filipino,” he said, citing how e-wallets and online platforms helped sustain the economy during the pandemic.
The administration is banking on flagship projects such as the National Fiber Backbone, which will expand high-speed internet to 17 million Filipinos by 2028. It is also pushing the rollout of the Philippine Identification System and improving digital access in schools through free Wi-Fi and SIM card distribution.
Mr. Marcos urged investors to view the Philippines as a regional hub for digital innovation while vowing to strengthen consumer safeguards through laws such as the Internet Transactions Act and Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
