BSP orders e-wallets to remove online gambling links

MANILA, Philippines —  The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has ordered e-wallet platforms to take down in-app links to online gambling platforms within 48 hours.

During yesterday’s Senate inquiry into illegal online gambling, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan confirmed the order was issued that morning, giving BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) two days to delete icons and links from their mobile payment applications and websites.

“We provided 48 hours to give time to BSFIs to take down those in-app links or icons to online gambling sites. The other reason is to give consumers time to withdraw their funds from the online gaming accounts (before access is cut-off from e-wallet apps),” he said.

However, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano who chairs the Senate committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies questioned why BSP only ordered digital wallet platforms to remove the links yesterday in time for the Senate hearing on the addiction scourge.

“You circulated a proposal to e-wallets and you waited for their reply, and you only gave the order today? Is it because we have a hearing today?” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said he found the central bank lacking in “political will” to outrightly order the digital wallet to delink their apps from online gambling platforms.

He also questioned the 48-hour period, saying this could be enough time for one to get addicted.

“If someone dies within 48 hours because they got addicted, is it okay? Or is it profit lost?” Cayetano asked.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who chairs the Senate games and amusements committee, said he will have Tangonan cited in contempt if he learns that digital wallets can still be used to gamble online after the 48-hour period.

“The committee is serious —we have a problem, we have a crisis,” Tulfo said.

“I’m taking your word on this, we’ll give you actually more than 48 hours. So, Sunday morning, we [should] not see online gambling games anymore and no more links of any sort will be accessible on e-wallets,” he added.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked whether PAGCOR and the BSP could prohibit e-wallet operators from opening and maintaining accounts for online gambling platforms altogether.

Gatchalian also said digital wallets should be “delinked” or banned entirely from being used to place bets, instead of the BSP’s latest move to just remove the “in-app” link to the gambling platforms.

He showed the websites of both legal and illegal gambling platforms which allow not just digital wallets, but also users’ bank accounts, to be linked on the gambling interface.

“It is simple: let us not allow banks and e-wallets to be linked to online gambling, whether illegal or legal. Our request is to completely delink,” Gatchalian said.

Tengco said current rules allow licensed operators to transact with any BSP-approved payment method, while Tangonan said the BSP could act immediately against illegal operators but would need to study restrictions on licensed ones.

Hontiveros urged the BSP to take more concrete action, even against legal operators, noting they account for about 40 percent of gambling activity.

Tangonan replied that the central bank acted swiftly in 2022 to block e-sabong payments after a presidential ban and would consult its legal office on similar measures for other forms of online gambling.

Tulfo said he will invite digital wallet platforms in the next hearing about their role in allowing Filipinos to be easily addicted to gambling, as he called on PAGCOR and BSP to do better than mere regulation.

“We want a clear and concise solution. We are talking now because majority of us wants total ban on online gambling while you are asking for regulation due to forgone revenues,” Tulfo said.

“From the Senate’s end, we are inclined to ban it because social ills outweigh the income benefits. If you ask us, we want to stop online gambling right here, right now. But we will hear every side,” he added.

E-wallet giant GCash and digital lender Maya have committed to comply with the BSP’s order to remove links to online gambling from their mobile applications.

In a statement, Maya said the update will be rolled out in accordance with the BSP’s guidance, assuring customers that their accounts and transactions remain secure and fully operational.

“We remain focused on serving our customers while fully complying with regulatory requirements,” Maya said.

For its part, GCash said it will “fully comply” with the BSP’s proactive directive.

“We share the BSP’s commitment to ensuring that digital financial services are used responsibly and in ways that protect the welfare of Filipinos,” it said.

“Once we receive the official directive, we will immediately enforce the necessary changes to ensure compliance and safeguard our users,” the e-wallet giant added.

There are 32 million Filipinos or close to one-third of the Philippine population who are into online gambling, the Senate games and amusements committee found in yesterday’s hearing, alarming senators who are concerned about the social ills of the addicting and financially ruinous activity.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian shared figures from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that there are 32.117 million “electronic gaming
players” as of January-May 2025, a whopping 291 percent increase from just 8.2 million players in 2024.

The number of players gradually increased since the pandemic – 482,000 in 2020, 767,000 in 2021, 1.447 million in 2022 and 2.445 million in 2023.