In a recent hearing, Philippines Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pressed the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) to do more to stem the growth of illegal online gambling sites. In a statement on Tuesday, he said the illegal sites are growing like “mushrooms”.
“Even if you block it now, it keeps coming back,” said Gatchalian, a longtime anti-gambling activist. “It’s never-ending. The root of the problem must be cut.”
Gatchalian presented data suggesting that last year more than 32 million Filipinos engaged in online gambling in a single month. That’s about half of the country’s adult population of 79.6 million, and a 400% increase from the 8.2 million Filipino adults estimated to have played at the end of 2024.
“Online gambling has magnified the dangers from gambling and been linked to the erosion of our moral fibres,” he said. “It has caused an increase in mental health problems, financial problems, addictive behaviour, vices and crime rates.”
Multipronged approach to limit gambling harms
The CICC said it has successfully blocked about 50,000 online gambling sites. However, it added, up to 97% of illegal providers are based offshore, and the commission’s jurisdictional authority ends at the border.
CICC Executive Director Renato Paraiso recommended that the Philippines expand mutual legal assistance treaties to cover cybercrimes. He also wants a corps of designated “cyber-diplomats” to boost international cooperation around digital security.
Gatchalian has long sought stronger guardrails for online gambling to reduce the risk of financial loss and addiction. He sponsored the 2025 Online Gambling Regulatory Act, proposing stricter rules without a total ban, as a ban might only push players to the black market.
Gatchalian applauded the introduction of daily transaction caps, time limits and the use of biometrics to verify player identities. All can help “curb the alarming rise of gambling addiction, especially among the youth”, he said. He also supported 2025 legislation to delink e-wallets from iGaming transactions, calling it a “monumental step toward the responsible use of digital services”.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp has since sought to roll back that legislation, following a 49% drop in revenue for the gaming regulator.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/gaming/online-casino/senator-seeks-crackdown-illegal-igaming-targeting-filipinos/
