Meta has started removing Facebook pages linked to the promotion of illegal online gambling, following a joint request from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys.
Digital Pinoys confirmed on Sunday, July 20, that 20 Facebook pages belonging to social media influencers with sizable followings were taken down for allegedly endorsing unlicensed gambling platforms. The list included personalities such as Boy Tapang (5.5 million followers), Sachzna Laparan (9.7 million), Kuya Lex TV (100,000), and actor Mark Anthony Fernandez (242,000).
“We thank Meta for swiftly acting on our joint request with CICC to take down the pages of influencers blatantly promoting illegal online gambling. We hope the remaining pages flagged in our initial report will be removed in the coming days,” said Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner of Digital Pinoys.
Gustilo noted that several influencers were warned as early as July 11 to take down gambling-related content but chose to ignore the directive. “Some of these influencers thought they were untouchable — that we were bluffing. They had more than enough time to comply. They gambled with the law, and now they’re facing the consequences,” he stressed.
CICC has since issued show cause orders to non-compliant individuals, requiring them to justify why they should not face criminal charges.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has moved to tighten regulations further by ordering operators to remove all online gambling ads from public transport vehicles and billboards by August 15.
Amid growing calls for a total ban on online gambling, several lawmakers have filed bills in Congress addressing the issue. PAGCOR and some licensed operators, however, argue that better regulation—not prohibition—is the more balanced approach.
