Philippines Central Bank orders e-wallets to unlink from online gambling sites

Shutterstock

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has ordered all e-wallet platforms to remove links and in-app features connecting to online gambling sites within 48 hours.

The directive was announced Thursday by BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan during a Senate hearing.

Under the order, e-wallet users can still access gambling sites directly, but in-app access must be removed. Tangonan explained the 48 hours was meant to give e-wallets time to prepare and notify the public.

However, senators criticized the two-day window, calling for immediate compliance and describing the move as essential to protect the public.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano urged the BSP to enforce removal immediately, while the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center Undersecretary Renato Paraiso said the action could be done right away.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo also warned that any delay past Saturday could result in contempt citations, while Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva also objected to the delay citing recent suicides linked to online gambling losses.

According to data revealed at the hearing, there are 11,985 illegal online gambling sites in the Philippines, a number that includes around 6,363 online casinos and 235 offshore platforms.

Senators emphasized the urgency of cutting e-wallet access, saying that the move was necessary to protect the public amid a growing online gambling crisis.

Dig deeper

2025/04/10: Brazil’s Central Bank powerless to regulate online gambling firms 2025/05/05: Indonesian authorities suspend over 5,000 bank accounts linked to online gambling 2025/07/11: Indonesia blocks more than 17,000 bank accounts linked to igaming 2025/05/06: Bangladesh High Court orders government report on online gambling