Online gambling transactions plunged by half after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordered e-wallet providers to take down gambling site links, days after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano grilled central bank officials in a Senate hearing over their delayed action.
During the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on online gambling, Cayetano slammed the BSP for its ‘lack of political will,’ questioning why it waited until the day of the hearing to issue the order when it had already consulted e-wallet operators as early as July.
The veteran legislator also questioned the 48-hour grace period granted to e-wallet firms, saying as a regulator, BSP should have acted immediately.
“DICT said it can be done in an instant.”
“We’re giving them 48 hours na hindi naman nila kailangan? DICT just said it can be done in an instant. Wala ba kayong ITs sa Central Bank or nasasayangan kayo sa two days?” the seasoned lawmaker pressed BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan.
“Kung may mamatay [within] 48 hours kasi nalulong doon, OK lang sa atin or kasi sayang kita?” the senator added.
That same day, Tangonan issued BSP Memorandum No. 2025-29, which instructed e-wallet platforms to remove in-app features that promote or provide access to e-gambling sites.
The order also applied to banks, payment apps, and other financial institutions under BSP supervision.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) later reported that online gambling activity fell by 50% following the memo’s enforcement.
Even before the hearing, though, Cayetano had pointed out that any intervention would go to waste if online gambling advertisements remain rampant.
He has filed the Anti-Online Gambling Advertisement Act of 2025, which seeks to ban all forms of ads, marketing, and promotions for online gambling across television, radio, internet, social media, print, and outdoor platforms, including company sponsorships of sports and cultural events.
“Online gambling fuels addiction, financial distress, and family breakdowns.”
The measure is part of Cayetano’s broader campaign to curb online gambling, which he says fuels addiction, financial distress, and family breakdowns.
Senate Bill No. 109 proposes penalties of up to six years in prison or fines of up to P5 million for violators, with harsher sanctions for public officials.
“As part of our persistent push toward a total ban on online gambling, we start with cutting off its oxygen – advertising,” Cayetano said in filing the bill last July.
