Philippine lawmakers demand explanation after Meta failed to attend Senate gambling hearing
The Philippines Senate Committee on Games and Amusement is to issue a show cause order to social media group Meta for failing to attend its hearing over the rise of online gambling in the Philippines.
The order means that the social media company would need to provide sufficient explanation for its absence to avoid incurring a penalty or further action against it.
During a hearing on Tuesday, committee chair Senator Erwin Tulfo expressed frustration after the panel’s secretariat read Meta’s letter addressing their non-attendance.
The company requested a separate meeting with the senator, explaining that this was because the relevant subject matter experts were not available due to prior commitments.
Tulfo criticized Meta for what he called a lack of respect toward the Senate, noting that the company’s request to schedule a later meeting was insufficient.
He added that he had intended to question Meta about the spread of online gambling advertisements on its platforms, despite efforts by e-wallet providers to disconnect such sites.
The senator announced that the show cause order would be addressed to Public Policy Manager of Facebook Philippines Genixon David, and that if he didn’t attend, the committee would issue a subpoena.
The latest development underscores growing tension between Philippine regulators and global tech firms over the enforcement of local online gambling regulations.
Last week, Philippine gambling regulator PAGCOR also came under fire for the increase in gambling ads on social media, including Meta, Google, YouTube, and X.
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Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
