Marcos assures efforts to address ‘growing problem’ of e-gambling

(August 26, 2025) – President Bongbong Marcos on Tuesday gave assurance that his government is addressing concerns about online gambling, which he described as a “growing problem.”

Speaking at the Manila Tech Summit 2025 held in Taguig City, Marcos stressed the need to protect Filipinos and “preserve the integrity of our financial system” by implementing restrictions on online gambling platforms.

“There is also the growing problem of online gambling, which preys on our people’s vulnerabilities,” the president said. “We are addressing this through initial measures, such as suspending the in-app gambling access in mobile payment apps and websites.”

Several lawmakers in both chambers of Congress have filed bills seeking to either impose restrictions or outright ban online gambling, as public figures raised concerns that it has made gambling easily accessible to the public.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has also ordered e-wallets to remove links to gambling apps on their online platforms.

Marcos also raised concerns on the proliferation of scams, fraud, and other illicit activities as technology advanced.

“Fraudulent schemes and scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated every day with the aid of artificial intelligence, with digital currencies, and syndicates that know no frontiers,” he said.

In 2024, the Philippines’ digital economy generated P2.25 trillion or 8.5% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), Marcos said, as he vowed to further accelerate the Philippines’ digital transformation.

“All of these efforts place technological innovation at the center of our governance. We aim to provide a government where technology is optimized to improve service delivery, efficiency, and transparency,” Marcos said.

Source:News5