MANILA, Philippines – The Senate’s newest listening to on on-line playing, Tuesday, September 16, dug deeper on a key subject that has fueled the rise of on-line playing: the seamless hyperlink between e-wallets and playing platforms.
Whereas the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordered GCash and Maya to take away in-app playing hyperlinks in August, lawmakers famous that customers can nonetheless money in and money out by way of these similar platforms by way of quite a lot of methods corresponding to going to an exterior web site, or the usage of “mule” accounts being lent out by different people.
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan admitted the order solely utilized to eradicating clickable hyperlinks. Transactions themselves have been untouched, since licensed playing operators are handled as reliable retailers.
That distinction didn’t sit effectively with Senator Risa Hontiveros. She identified that “reliable” doesn’t at all times imply “helpful,” particularly when atypical employees can lose half one million pesos with only a few faucets.
The questioning turned half of a bigger theme on whether or not on-line playing can really be regulated. Senator Migz Zubiri, who’s among the many loudest proponents for an entire ban, identified how Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and e-sabong grew underneath the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Company’s (Pagcor) watch, solely to be banned by way of Presidential orders in a while, because the harms turned obvious. Zubiri expressed exasperation, missing the assumption that Pagcor might regulate on-line playing.
P500,000 day by day “restrict,” e-wallet loans, on-line playing firm incentives
A few occasions, Senator Hontiveros grew somewhat annoyed over e-wallet representatives from GCash and Maya.
Executives from the e-wallet apps discovered themselves cornered by Hontiveros and Senator Raffy Tulfo. Each senators requested what appeared like a easy query: Do you see it as an issue that Filipinos can wager such staggering quantities on on-line playing apps utilizing your platforms?
Hontiveros revealed that folks can funnel as much as P500,000 in a day, which she identified is 10 occasions greater than what a ordinary financial institution transaction is allowed in the identical time interval.
Neither firm wished to say a straight “sure.”
Lawyer Gilbert Escoto of GCash pressured they don’t see particular person bets, solely top-ups, that are nonetheless inside BSP laws. Toff Rada of Maya echoed that they course of transactions for all authorized retailers. It took repeated questioning earlier than each admitted, not directly, that abusive playing conduct may very well be an issue.
The road of questioning then moved towards loans. Each GCash and Maya supply in-app lending providers. Might an individual take out a mortgage from their e-wallet, then instantly funnel it into playing? Escoto admitted it’s doable: GLoan proceeds go straight into the pockets and may be co-mingled with different funds. Rada stated Maya has safeguards and detection programs however conceded that the chance exists.
It took a loop of back-and-forth inquiries to fulfill Hontiveros. The executives harped on how they set up client safety options and the way their platforms vet people earlier than getting credit score, earlier than finally admitting that sure, no matter loans a person receives, a person might use for playing.
Hontiveros re-established a now recognized reality: playing losses are funded not simply by financial savings, however by digital loans that may bury customers in debt, all inside the app.
On e-wallets, one suggestion that arose from the listening to was to restrict the flexibility to high up with playing funds through bodily playing cards a la pay as you go load that may solely be purchased at designated shops. This fashion, distributors can test whether or not the client is an grownup, and in order to extend the friction as effectively by eradicating the flexibility to only high up on one’s cellphone.
Pagcor’s Jessa Mariz Fernandez defended the regulator’s resolution to slash license charges for on-line playing operators — from 50% of gross gaming revenues in 2021 all the way down to 30% right now. She stated this transfer lured unlawful operators into the authorized fold, growing compliance and client protections. In keeping with her, Pagcor’s seize of the market jumped from simply 5% in 2021 to 40% in 2025.
Nonetheless, Hontiveros identified the plain: reducing charges means operators take house extra. “There are numerous protections for operators,” she stated, “however the place are the protections for atypical Filipinos, particularly minimal wage earners and people susceptible to playing habit?”
If on-line playing shall be regulated, what would be the function of e-wallets within the new supposed regulatory regime, and what shall be wanted to reinforce the safety of atypical Filipinos relatively than creating extra incentives for extra on-line playing firms?
Lacking in motion
The absence of key gamers fueled tensions within the room. Senator Rodante Marcoleta lashed out at Pagcor chair Al Tengco for skipping the listening to, stressing that solely Tengco might reply throughout this important juncture the place the committee is determining whether or not to ban or to control strictly.
Tengco was reportedly at a seminar “invited as a useful resource particular person at an ASEAN nation,” the Pagcor chief reportedly informed Tulfo in a letter. Marcoleta questioned whether or not that was extra vital than the listening to.
Many occasions, it was talked about that there’s a profit to regulation as Pagcor contributes to well being, sports activities, and cultural applications within the nation, amongst others.
Meta, in the meantime, was additionally absent regardless of being invited. That didn’t sit effectively with Tulfo, who blasted the corporate for ignoring the Senate whereas taking advantage of the Philippine market. On-line playing advertisements can nonetheless be seen on Fb previous to the listening to.
Tulfo stated, “How within the hell you don’t respect this committee? Kung wala ka respeto sa ibang committee, huwag mong gawin dito. Andaming kulungan niya sa ilalim, pwede kitang ilagak diyan.”
Hontiveros advised issuing a show-cause order to Meta on why it shouldn’t be subpoenaed.
Against this, TikTok and Google each confirmed up. TikTok’s Yves Gonzalez, head of public coverage, informed senators the platform had suspended all playing advertisements within the Philippines since August 22. Google was represented by Putri Alam, director for Authorities Affairs and Public Coverage for Google in Southeast Asia and Arian Santoso, public coverage head, who reiterated that the Play Retailer bans playing apps globally and that playing advertisements face strict limits. Each firms pressured cooperation with regulators, although lawmakers hinted that stronger accountability measures could be wanted.
Tulfo, in the course of the listening to, confirmed how a web based playing advert nonetheless appeared on YouTube from unlawful betting web site 1XBet, regardless of the Google executives mentioning the bans and limits.
Hontiveros additionally identified how Google has taken 2 months to behave on a takedown request of on-line playing content material from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Middle (CICC), which she stated shouldn’t be taking place.
This a part of the listening to targeted on exploring the platforms’ function in regulating viral, promotional materials on their respective websites.
Past technical loopholes and regulatory grey areas, lawmakers repeatedly pointed to the social fallout. Senator Zubiri cited circumstances of gambling-linked suicides, warning colleagues that the difficulty had moved previous summary monetary dangers.
Dean Calleja of Bridges of Hope, one of many nation’s largest habit remedy facilities, additionally informed senators that playing sufferers have elevated considerably for the reason that increase of on-line platforms. He famous that there isn’t sufficient consciousness within the Philippines that playing habit should be handled and may be handled as a illness, including that Pagcor-mandated reminders in promotional supplies to play responsibly aren’t sufficient. There needs to be a visual “name to motion” for playing habit victims that cause them to get skilled assist, he stated.
Till swift, strict regulation is available in, the door stays half-open. Playing platforms might have misplaced their icons inside e-wallet apps that simply hyperlink to playing, however the cash continues to be flowing. This, regardless of some discount of as much as 50% in Pagcor’s on-line playing revenue after the e-wallet delinking, Pagcor stated. For a lot of Filipinos, particularly those that can least afford it, that circulation might imply the distinction between protecting meals on the desk and spiraling into debt. – Rappler.com
