TARLAKENYO (August 14, 2025) — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has directed e-wallet providers to immediately remove links and payment channels connected to online gambling platforms, giving them just 48 hours to comply.
The BSP’s move — made during the joint public hearing on online gambling — aims to curb illegal gambling activities facilitated through digital payment systems.
The BSP warned that e-wallets failing to cut ties with gambling operators could face sanctions, including suspension or revocation of licenses.
Meanwhile, cybersecurity advocates urge stricter enforcement against scatter apps, which continue to expose underage users to gambling risks.
However, concerns remain over “scatter” apps — third-party platforms that allow users to bypass security measures and access gambling sites with little to no age verification. These apps, often downloadable via unofficial sources, pose a significant risk to minors, who can easily engage in online betting due to weak safeguards.
“While regulating e-wallets is a step forward, the real challenge lies in shutting down these unregulated scatter apps that target vulnerable users, including minors,” said a digital safety advocate.
The central bank’s crackdown follows rising complaints over illegal online gambling, but experts say more comprehensive measures are needed to protect young users from exploitation.
During the same hearing, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano appealed to the Senate to carefully consider its stance on online gambling, emphasizing the government’s trillion-peso investment in education and warning that the normalization of gambling and addiction undermines Filipino youth.
“I don’t take it against the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to raise funds, regulate gambling operators, and look into all kinds of gambling and gaming kasi iyan ang trabaho nila. But to regulate the illegal side, this is where the balance of government comes in,” the senator said.
