Manila: The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) income saw a significant decline of 40 to 50 percent following the removal of gambling payment links from major e-wallet providers.
According to Philippines News Agency, during a Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Jessa Mariz Fernandez noted that the income drop was observed within the first two weeks after e-wallet platforms such as GCash and PayMaya ceased their connections to online gambling transactions. Fernandez highlighted that this decline was based on data from PAGCOR’s accounting and Electronic Gaming Licensing Department, underscoring the immediate impact of the delinking measure on revenues.
PAGCOR also announced plans to introduce an artificial intelligence-powered tool aimed at detecting illegal gambling websites in real time. Fernandez explained that this tool would work in coordination with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to enable quicker blocking of unlicensed operators.
While discussing policy preferences, PAGCOR expressed support for strict regulation of the online gambling industry instead of an outright ban. Fernandez reiterated this stance during the Senate session. Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) stated that it would defer to Congress on whether to impose a ban or strengthen regulation, with BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan committing to submitting a position paper on the subject.
Senate committee chair Senator Erwin Tulfo mentioned that the committee would continue evaluating the social and economic implications of online gambling as part of its legislative review. The Senate is currently deliberating several measures on online gambling, with some senators proposing a total prohibition, while others advocate for regulation and harm-reduction strategies.
Additionally, Senator Risa Hontiveros raised concerns over the amounts Filipinos can wager on online gambling via e-wallets, despite BSP’s order to remove in-app links. She pressed e-wallet firms on whether such activities pose a social risk. Tangonan clarified that while icons have been delinked, licensed operators are still treated as merchants, allowing for certain transactions.
PAGCOR stated it permits BSP-regulated payment channels while reviewing necessary safeguards. Executives from GCash and Maya assured adherence to directives to cap or block gambling-related top-ups, acknowledging potential misuse of lending features but assuring that measures are in place to identify abuse.