Law penalizing illegal online gambling promoters sought

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is drafting a new law that will penalize not only operators of illegal online gambling sites but also those who promote them, such as influencers, endorsers, advertising agencies and even e-wallet service providers.

“We will introduce a law that will also punish any company or individual connected to illegal online gambling. For example, if you’re an advertising agency, endorser, influencer or e-wallet service, as long as you’re promoting illegal platforms, you will also be penalized under this new law,” he said in Filipino over radio dwIZ on Saturday.

Citing findings from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Gatchalian revealed that numerous influencers and celebrities have been endorsing unregulated gambling sites, many of them unknowingly.

“To be fair to these endorsers, they didn’t know the sites were illegal because they didn’t check the PAGCOR website,” he said. “And I found out that in illegal gambling, as long as someone places a bet, the endorser also gets a share of that bet. There’s a commission involved. But again, to be fair to them, they didn’t know it was illegal.”

He warned that illegal gambling platforms not only operate without paying taxes or following regulations, but also pose serious risks to public welfare.

While Gatchalian’s proposal focuses on penalizing those linked to illegal online gambling, several senators have filed broader measures seeking an outright ban on all forms of online gambling in the Philippines.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, along with Senators Risa Hontiveros, Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano, is among those backing a total ban.

Sen. Loren Legarda also recently filed her own bill to prohibit all forms of online gambling, citing its harmful impact on vulnerable groups such as minors, students and low-income earners.

Her measure covers digital platforms including online casinos, e-sabong, virtual slots and sports betting and also prohibits the publication and promotion of gambling-related content online.

Meanwhile, Sen. JV Ejercito has filed a resolution calling for a Senate inquiry into the growing presence of online gambling, warning that its social impact may now surpass that of Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Smarter regulation

In contrast to outright bans, some groups believe that tighter, smarter regulation is the better solution.

Recently, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) called for stronger regulation and not a total ban to keep Filipino players safe and the country’s economy thriving.

CitizenWatch Philippines, a consumer welfare watchdog, supports this position of PAGCOR to avoid a total ban in favor of tighter, technology-enabled controls.

Lead convenor Orlando Oxales argued that prohibition could backfire by driving users toward illegal and unregulated offshore platforms.

“Calls for a total ban on online gaming are understandable, given rising public concern. But banning isn’t the answer. It creates more problems than it solves. What we need is stricter, smarter regulation – clear rules, modern tools and responsible enforcement that protect our people while preserving public benefit,” Oxales said.

Oxales noted that legal online gambling generated P50 billion in 2024, half of which funded programs such as universal health care, grassroots sports and drug rehabilitation.

Eliminating the industry, he said, could remove up to P100 billion in projected earnings in the coming year.

Instead, Oxales advocated for precision regulation using artificial intelligence and fintech tools to monitor gambling behavior, enforce deposit limits, flag suspicious activity and activate self-exclusion features.