Philippine online gambling transactions drop 50% after e-wallet delinking order

Online gambling transactions in the Philippines fell by about 50% from August 17 to 19 after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordered e-wallet platforms to remove in-app links to gambling sites, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) reported.

PAGCOR Chair Alejandro Tengco said the drop followed the compliance of major e-wallets like GCash and Maya, the Philippine Star reported. “PAGCOR observed that from Sunday until yesterday, online gaming transactions fell by about 50% after BSP ordered e-payment platforms to temporarily delink from online gambling integration,” Tengco stated.

The BSP order, however, did not require online gambling platforms to remove links to e-wallets, meaning users can still fund their accounts, just not directly through e-wallet apps.

Tengco stressed that the bigger problem is illegal, unlicensed operators. About 60% of online gambling platforms in the country are unlicensed, and PAGCOR can only report them to law enforcement. 

While PAGCOR has referred over 8,000 illegal operators to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, these enterprises often reappear under slightly altered names. These unlicensed platforms also allow underage users, even those below 21, to place bets, Tengco warned.

Illegal operators conceal gambling transactions by linking with licensed e-wallet platforms under the guise of legitimate merchant purchases.

There is a 70% drop in online gambling on licensed sites but a 40% increase in users shifting to illegal platforms, according to a survey by research firm The Fourth Wall. Experts warned that restricting legitimate payment channels may push players toward riskier, unregulated sites. The survey included 1,250 active online gambling players across urbanized areas, with a ±2% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

PAGCOR earned P114.83 billion ($2 billion) in online gaming revenue in the first half of 2025, over half of total gaming revenue. By law, PAGCOR allocates part of its earnings to universal healthcare and other social services.

Still, some lawmakers argue that the social costs of gambling outweigh these contributions, with some suggesting further restrictions or an outright ban on online gambling.