As the 20th Congress gears up, several lawmakers are setting their sights on online gambling, with a proposed bill that would limit the use of e-wallets on betting platforms.
Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith Flores raised concern over how digital wallets are enabling a new wave of gambling addiction. Speaking in a DZMM interview, Flores pointed out how easily users can link their e-wallets to gambling apps, top up funds, and continue placing bets — a convenience he believes is fueling addiction.
“E-wallets should not serve as easy gateways to gambling apps,” Flores emphasized in a statement dated June 23. “Their platforms are being used, whether they admit it or not, as channels of addiction.”
While Flores acknowledged the benefits of e-wallets for daily transactions, he said some platforms go a step further by featuring lists of gambling games and direct links to betting apps — and in some cases, even offering loans. He suspects these apps are profiting from user engagement with gambling sites, making them complicit in worsening financial troubles for vulnerable users.
“Marami na rin pamilya nasisira because of online gambling,” he warned. “So ang ayaw ko lang talaga, if we make it more accessible for people to bet and to load, parang we’re feeding the addiction eh.”
The proposed bill is still being drafted, with Flores saying he is conducting further research to determine what penalties, if any, should be included, and which regulatory agencies — such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — should be involved.
He clarified that he is not proposing a total ban on e-wallet use for gambling just yet, but warned that such a step might be considered if nothing changes. “Payment platforms must not be complicit. Their convenience should never come at the cost of Filipino lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Manila 2nd District Representative Rolando Valeriano is advocating for a firmer stance. In a statement issued June 24, he called on the government to revoke existing administrative orders allowing online gambling and urged PAGCOR and the Games and Amusements Board to cancel licenses of online gambling operators.
He also appealed to BSP to ban e-wallets and electronic payment systems from being used for any form of online gambling. “Habang may mga apps na pinopromote pa ng mga influencers at celebrities, para na ring sinasadyang ilubog sa utang at bisyo ang milyun-milyong Pilipino,” he said.
