The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reported a 40 to 50 percent decline in income after major e-wallet providers removed payment links to online gambling platforms, following a directive from the country’s central bank, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Assistant Vice President Jessa Mariz Fernandez disclosed the figures during a Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing on Tuesday, September 16th. She noted that the sharp drop was observed within the first two weeks of the delinking. “This is based on the data from our Accounting and Electronic Gaming Licensing Department,” Fernandez said, emphasizing the immediate impact of the measure.
The BSP had earlier instructed GCash and Maya, the country’s largest e-wallets, to cut connections to online gambling. Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan ordered that all icons and in-app links be removed within 48 hours, with full disconnection finalized by August 17th.
During the August hearing, PAGCOR also mentioned that online gambling transactions had already fallen by up to 50 percent since the e-wallets’ disconnection from gambling sites.
However, based on current disclosures, it remains unclear whether PAGCOR’s income decline persisted beyond the initial two-week period or how the measure has affected overall industry-wide transaction volumes.
In the same session, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) welcomed the move, calling it a crucial step in addressing gambling addiction among Filipinos. Senator Risa Hontiveros also questioned e-wallet executives on whether high-value transactions — reportedly reaching PHP500,000 per user — posed significant social risks.
Tangonan confirmed that while gambling-related payment icons were delinked, licensed operators remain recognized as merchants. This allows users to cash in and cash out through regulated channels. GCash and Maya executives assured senators they would comply with future directives, including possible caps on gambling-related top-ups and tighter monitoring of lending features.
Policy debate intensifies
At the Senate hearing, lawmakers revisited the broader debate on the future of online gambling in the Philippines. Several pending bills propose an outright ban, including measures filed by Senators Pia Cayetano, Alan Cayetano, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda, Christopher Go, and Raffy Tulfo.
Other legislators favor tighter regulation instead of prohibition. Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Risa Hontiveros have suggested harm-reduction measures and levies to mitigate gambling’s social costs, while Senator JV Ejercito filed a resolution urging stricter oversight to curb the spread of online gaming and lending.
When asked about its stance, PAGCOR reiterated its support for strict regulation rather than a complete ban. “Our position is for strict regulation of the industry,” Fernandez told lawmakers. The BSP, meanwhile, said it would defer to Congress on whether to pursue prohibition or reinforced regulation. Tangonan added that the central bank would submit a position paper outlining the pros and cons of both approaches.
Committee chair Senator Erwin Tulfo concluded that the panel would continue assessing the social and economic implications of online gambling as part of its review of pending legislation.
PAGCOR introduces AI monitoring tool
In response to the changing landscape, PAGCOR announced plans to launch an artificial intelligence-powered tool to detect illegal gambling sites in real time. Fernandez said the system would operate in coordination with the CICC, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to expedite the blocking of unlicensed operators.
Until now, PAGCOR has largely relied on manual monitoring through licensees, complaints, and internal tracking. Officials said the new AI system would enable more proactive enforcement against the estimated 11,985 illegal gambling sites identified in earlier hearings, including online casinos and cockfighting platforms.
