Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR said Friday that it is not responsible for determining which laws are put in place to govern online gambling but will continue to perform its duty in regulating as per “any and all” relevant regulations signed into law by the President.
Its comments, which also came with a promise to continue cracking down on illegal online gaming activities, follow moves by congressmen during the week to tighten rules around online gaming and specifically around the ease of utilizing e-wallets for cash transactions on online sites. One senator went a step further on Friday by filing a bill that would, if passed, impose a complete ban on all forms of online gambling in the country.
In its statement, PAGCOR said it is “the prerogative of our lawmakers to propose laws which they think will be beneficial to the public.
“PAGCOR is duty-bound to follow any and all relevant regulations once they are passed by Congress and signed into law by the President,” it said.
“In the meantime, rest assured that PAGCOR remains fully committed to intensifying its efforts in the ongoing battle against the proliferation of illegal online gaming activities, together with like-minded agencies and organizations and with the support of all gaming industry stakeholders.”
The proposed tightening of online gaming laws has hit gaming stocks hard, including those of land-based operators such as Solaire parent Bloomberry Resorts Corp, which has recently launched online operations.
DigiPlus Interactive, a leader in the online gaming space via its BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, and as a provider of back-end platform support for other operators, has been hit particularly hard – down more than 40% from its 52-week high.
In a filing late Thursday following inquiries from the Philippine Stock Exchange over its stock price fluctuations, DigiPlus said it “attributes this to market speculation following the filing of the Online Gambling Regulatory bill and Online Gambling Prohibition bills filed at the Senate and House of Representatives since 30 June 2025.
“The proposed Online Gambling Regulatory bill aims to enhance responsible gaming standards and strengthen regulatory oversight in the sector. We highlight that the bills are still in the early stages of the legislative process and have not been enacted into law.”
Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who was a key player in the complete ban imposed on the offshore POGO industry from 1 January 2025, is also behind the proposed restrictions on the growing PIGO or remote gaming industry that targets the domestic market. His bills include stricter know-your-customer rules, greater regulation of gambling advertising, the imposition of a minimum top-up threshold of Php10,000 (US$177) and a ban on payment platforms like GCash and Maya from working with online betting operators.
Gatchalian’s proposal has also been backed by others, with The Manila Standard quoting Rep. Terry Ridon as stating, “Online gambling transactions should be prohibited on e-wallet platforms such as GCash and Maya, as well as through the online applications of banking institutions. This measure aims to prevent the unchecked and convenient access of ordinary Filipinos – especially the youth – to online gambling platforms.
“The government has a duty to make it more difficult for individuals to use their hard-earned income on activities that often result in financial distress and family disintegration.”
On Friday, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri filed a bill, titled “Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025”, seeking an outright ban on all online gambling in the Philippines and ambitiously likening the rise of remote gaming to the POGO situation.
His proposal would, if passed, see all legal digital betting platforms, mobile applications and websites that allow users to wager remotely shut down and heavy penalties imposed on those who break the rules, including internet service providers and payment platforms.
“We already shut the doors on POGOs for the damage they caused,” he said. “But an even more dangerous problem has crept into our homes: online gambling that targets our own people.”
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