As online gambling gains traction in the Philippines, lawmakers and regulators are taking coordinated steps to limit the role that digital financial platforms play in enabling access to betting websites and apps. A series of proposed laws and central bank policies aim to restrict how e-wallet services promote, facilitate, or connect users to gambling operations, citing growing social and financial harms.
Proposed Legislation Seeks to Penalize E-Wallet Involvement
On July 1, five members of the House of Representatives introduced House Bill 721, known as the Anti-Online Gambling Promotion in E-Wallets Act. The bill targets e-wallet platforms that, through their apps, offer access to or advertise gambling activities. The authors — Reps. Jonathan Keith Flores, Jose Manuel Alba, Audrey Zubiri, Laarni Roque (all from Bukidnon), and Arlyn Ayon (Swerte Party-list) — underscored the urgency of limiting how financial technology intersects with the gambling industry.
Though lawmakers acknowledged the essential role e-wallets play in providing financial access to the public, they warned that these services have also become channels for normalizing gambling. “However, alongside financial inclusion and the ease of transactions, a troubling social and cultural trend has emerged: e-wallets have become gateways to gambling by providing direct access to digital casinos and sports betting platforms,” the explanatory note read.
Among the actions prohibited under the bill are hosting gambling advertisements, directing users to betting sites via links or QR codes, sharing information about placing or receiving wagers, and promoting gambling to the public through the app interface.
If the legislation passes, e-wallet operators would also be required to implement safeguards, including removing gambling-related materials, creating internal controls to limit exposure to such content, and submitting annual reports to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP, in cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), would oversee enforcement.
A tiered penalty system is proposed: first-time violations would carry fines between PHP100,000 and PHP500,000, plus a formal warning. A second violation could lead to a PHP1 million fine and a suspension of up to 30 days. Repeated violations may result in a permanent revocation of the platform’s license and a fine ranging from PHP1 million to PHP5 million. “Online gambling is a moral, financial and public health concern. Without proper safeguards, e-wallets risk becoming traps for vulnerable Filipinos and safe havens for gambling addiction,” the explanatory note added.
BSP Considers Broader Measures on Gambling Access
Alongside legislative efforts, the BSP is preparing its own regulatory response. The central bank has released a draft circular for feedback from stakeholders that would require banks and e-money issuers under its supervision to establish stricter protocols regarding gambling-related activity.
“The BSP is taking a collaborative approach to crafting the circular, to ensure that the final policy strikes a balance between protecting consumers and preserving access to digital payments for licensed businesses,” the BSP stated.
One of the key ideas being considered is placing restrictions on which users can access online gambling platforms through digital payment services. These protections could include measures such as age verification, transaction monitoring, and limitations on cash-ins to gambling sites.
This builds on previous regulatory actions. In 2021, the BSP barred licensed entities from transacting with unauthorized gambling operations. The following year, it ordered the removal of all links to electronic sabong (cockfighting) after the government suspended the activity nationwide.
Senate and House Align on Stricter Online Gambling Controls
In the Senate, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a parallel measure reinforcing the drive to eliminate access to gambling through e-wallets. His version advocates for tougher know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, minimum cash-in thresholds of PHP10,000, and restrictions on the placement of gambling advertisements — particularly near schools and residential zones.
Additional proposals are being explored by representatives from Akbayan and Bicol Saro party-lists. These include broader restrictions beyond e-wallets, such as full age verification systems, higher deposit minimums, and the complete exclusion of gambling features from mobile apps. Legislators emphasized that casual gambling, particularly among youth and lower-income groups, has led to rising debt and financial stress.
The coordinated push reflects mounting concern over how digital platforms — particularly payment services like GCash and Maya — have made gambling more accessible and attractive to a wider population. Lawmakers are calling for stronger boundaries and new accountability mechanisms to address what they describe as the normalization of gambling through technology.
Source:
House bill proposes P5M fine, license loss for e-wallets promoting online gambling, philstar.com, July 3, 2025
