Senate Committee on Games and Amusement Chairperson Senator Erwin Tulfo has issued a stern warning: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan could be cited for contempt if e-wallet links to online gambling apps are not removed by Sunday, August 17.
In the inaugural hearing of the Senate panel, the BSP revealed that they ordered electronic wallets including GCash and Maya to sever links to online gambling platforms in 48 hours from August 14.
“If I see a single link to gambling apps, I will cite you in contempt.”
“If I see a single link to gambling apps, I will cite you in contempt. The committee is serious—we have a problem, we have a crisis,” Tulfo declared.
“I’m taking your word on this, we’ll give you actually more than 48 hours. So Sunday morning, we will not see online gambling games anymore and no more links of any sort will be accessible on e-wallets,” the legislator said.
The lawmaker, who presided over the Senate panel’s hearing, stressed that the Central Bank, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and other law enforcement agencies should provide concrete solutions to curb social ills wrought by online gambling, in the next hearings.
“We want a clear and concise solution.”
“We want a clear and concise solution. We are talking now because the majority of us want a total ban on online gambling while you are asking for regulation due to foregone revenues. From the Senate’s end, we are inclined to ban it because social ills outweigh the income benefits,” the senator stressed.
“If you ask us, we want to stop online gambling right here, right now. But we will hear every side,” the Games and Amusement Panel chair said addressing the government agencies.
