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Read Full BioLawmakers in the Philippines are drafting legislation to restrict e-wallet use for online gambling.
The proposal, put forward by Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, would prevent e-wallets in the country, such as GCash and Maya, from being used on gambling apps.
Flores commented, “e-wallets should not serve as easy gateways to gambling apps. Their platforms are being used, whether they admit it or not, as channels of addiction.”
Flores accuses the e-wallets of facilitating gambling by providing links and even loans. Philstar reported that he said, “I think a lot of people are getting hooked on online gambling. … It’s so accessible from the e-wallet itself. There’s even a list of games where you can load and top up.”
He wants to break the links between the e-wallets and gambling sites to slow down the process of betting. He stated, “Don’t include the links directly in your application. If they really want to load, make it a bit harder for them.”
The Philippines iGaming Industry Booming
The gambling industry in the Philippines has had a strong start to the year, posting record revenue of Php104.12 billion ($1.83 billion) in the first quarter.
Alejandro H. Tengco, the CEO and Chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), said: “The E-Games and E-Bingo segment made history by becoming the industry’s top revenue driver for the first time, contributing Php51.39 billion or 49.36% of the total first quarter GGR.”
Flores says that this growth comes at a price.
“A lot of families have already been broken because of online gambling. What I really don’t want is for us to make it even more accessible for people to place bets and load money, it’s like we’re feeding the addiction.”
Other Lawmakers Call For Complete Ban On Online Gambling
Rep. Rolando Valeriano has called on PAGCOR to curb the exponential growth by canceling the licenses of online gambling operators. Valeriano advocates for a ban on online gambling and wants the activity restricted to on-site locations.
He also blamed social media influencers for the rise in problem gambling in the country. Valeriano stated, “With these apps being promoted by influencers and celebrities, it’s like they are deliberately pushing millions of Filipinos into debt and addiction.”
Flores stressed that he was not looking for a complete ban on online gambling, and was also open to allowing some form of e-wallet payments if they are not directly facilitating gambling.
He commented, “This is not yet a blanket ban, but that’s the direction we may be forced to take if we continue to see the future of our children and families torn apart.”
“Payment platforms must not be complicit. Their convenience should never come at the cost of Filipino lives.”
Other Countries Targeting E-Wallets and Influencers
Other countries have also banned e-wallet payments for online gambling. In November last year, Indonesia’s communications ministry asked e-wallet providers (Dana, GoPay, LinkAja, OVO) to cut or suspend gambling-linked accounts. Approximately 20–25% of their accounts were connected to online gambling.
Lawmakers in California are also targeting social media promoters of unregulated online gambling sites. An amendment to a bill will penalize individuals seen to be facilitating gambling at sites such as sweepstakes casinos.
