TALKS TO STOP altogether electronic or egambling and esabong — though the latter is already banned in the country— will remain just that TALKS. There simply is no political will to stop these menaces from eroding the moral fiber of the country because the government needs the revenues either for economic growth or politicians back them for their pockets alone, at the expense of the ordinary masa or hoi poloi, who once addicted to them resort to crimes.
Numerous legislative measures pending in Congress are mostly designed to regulate, not stop, egambling because the tax revenues are direly needed for the economic growth of the country (and to cater to the whimsical fantasy of government officials for the country to join the ranks of upper middle income status nations).
There are so many sides that cater to the egambling industry— those that invested in the electronic infrastructure (both ewallets and telcos and internet providers), businessmen who trade egambling companies or affiliates of egambling firms in the stock market, the government for tax revenues, some politicians to line their pockets.
Notice all these sectors mentioned are being protected by the government over that of the moral impact on those addicted to them (which includes students who use their school baon for the fleeting enjoyment of winning pittance.
Those who are strongly lobbying against it now, believe me, in the end they would be joining the chorus once their ewallets or leather wallets get the bounties from any of the above industry players. Soon, the clamor would die down.
‘So far, the BSP … ordered all ewallets, banks and other supervised institutions to remove in-app gambling assets, including any links that direct users to gaming or gambling websites.’
REGULATORS’ INEFFICIENCY
Since its predecessor, the National Telecommunications Commission and now the Department of Information and Communication Technology, nothing much has changed in terms of regulatory inefficiency or inutility.
Either this government branch has inadequate facilities to regulate the telcos and those involved in ICT, or it lacks the capable and determined upright personnel to work in it, or the department just turns a blind eye towards industries’ bad practices and shenanigans. Either way, its laxity and sheer lack of political will has served to undermine the moral fiber of society.
As Bilyonaryo reported, the DICT would be in hot water when Senate investigates the proliferation of egambling, which Senator Erwin Tulfo says DICT has “full control” over the country’s internet space, yet illegal gambling sites, including the banned esabong platforms, remain accessible years after esabong was outlawed.
SENATE HEARING
Tulfo presided on Thursday over the Senate hearing on the proposed ban on online gaming jointly held by the committees on games and amusement; banks, financial institutions and currencies; youth; economic affairs; and ways and means.
He summoned PAGCOR, Department of Finance, National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police, ewallet companies, GSIS to explain their roles in the proliferation of illegal gambling.
Those that also testified were suicide victims’ families— whose self annihilation was directly caused by addiction to egambling —the academe, and parent groups. Bilyonaryo said a congressman from North Luzon has emerged as the new kingpin of illegal e-sabong, with a top Malacañang official allegedly backing the operation.
The group is said to be handing out millions in weekly payola to the PNP top brass to look the other way. The President has sustained the nationwide suspension of e-sabong under Executive Order No. 9 of December 2022, citing an “urgent need” to protect public health, morals, safety, and welfare.
The directive halts all forms of online, remote, or off-cockpit betting on live cockfighting matches, and live-streaming of such events outside official venues, regardless of the betting platform’s location to plug loopholes that illegal operators have exploited since the original ban.
EWALLETS AND BSP
So far, the BSP on Thursday ordered all ewallets, banks and other supervised institutions to remove in-app gambling assets, including any links that direct users to gaming or gambling websites.
“The BSP directive is issued in light of the surge in online gambling transactions and its impact on the financial health of consumers and their families, and considering the broader social cost,” BSP said in a statement.
The BSP said the suspension will remain in place until its guidelines for online gambling payment services are finalized, Business World reported.
GIVEN 48 HOURS
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan said these financial firms were given 48 hours to remove the links that redirect users to gambling websites.
In separate statements, GCash and Maya said they will comply with the BSP’s directive immediately. E-wallets such as GCash and Maya have integrated gambling-related services in their apps, making it easy for users to access online casinos. This has helped fuel the popularity of online gambling in recent years.
Concerns over rising gambling addiction and mounting debt have prompted lawmakers and regulators to consider measures to ban or restrict online gambling in the country.
Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano questioned why it would take 48 hours to remove the links to online gaming sites when it could be done immediately, which Tangonan said is sufficient time for ewallet operators to remove all links to online gambling sites.
Another reason is to give time for the customers to withdraw their funds from the online gaming account, once they learn that we are already removing the links from the mobile payment applications and websites,” Tangonan added.
“The suspension of the in-house links from the mobile apps is an immediate measure, while we are finalizing regulations (on online gaming sites),” he said, to include banning the use of credit cards to pay for online bets.
BIOMETRIC CHECKS
The BSP also plans to include biometric ID checks, daily transaction limits, time-based payment restrictions, and user tools for spending caps, voluntary breaks, and self-exclusion all designed to curb addiction, fraud, and financial harm while encouraging responsible use of digital finance.
Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III, coordinator of Action for Economic Reforms, said that the BSP should utilize advanced technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor fraudulent activities linked to online gambling.
Marcos earlier said that a ban may drive people toward illegal gambling platforms. He called for a broad consultation involving various stakeholders before making a decision.
For its part, PAGCOR said that it was still studying if it would impose higher collection rates for licensed gaming operators.