A lawmaker’s warning about celebrities steering their audiences toward online betting drew a pointed reply during a congressional budget session: the state gaming regulator had already moved against one such operator.
Alejandro Tengco, chairman and chief executive of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), told the House committee on appropriations that his agency had ordered an online gambling firm to pay P1 million and halt a promotion after the company bankrolled a mass giveaway fronted by actress and content creator Ivana Alawi. According to Inquirer.net, the exchange unfolded during deliberations on PAGCOR’s proposed 2027 budget.
“We already implemented that; they paid P1 million, and we instructed them to stop the said promotion,” Tengco said.
The regulator carries the authority to discipline the firm because it holds a PAGCOR license and operates within the bounds of the law, Tengco explained. He cautioned that a repeat could cost the company far more, up to the suspension or revocation of its permit to operate.
At the center of the dispute is a Facebook video Alawi posted on July 15, in which she showcased 100 high-end phones she intended to raffle off. Manila Bulletin reported that she spent P4.28 million on the handsets and credited the gambling platform she endorses with helping cover the cost. Entry into the raffle hinged on following the operator’s Facebook page, a mechanic that drew swift criticism once viewers connected the giveaway to the betting brand.
The matter surfaced after Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah Fernando raised concern over the swelling ranks of influencers and creators lending their reach to gambling operators, pointing to Alawi’s raffle as an example. Fernando pressed Tengco on how the agency intends to rein in personalities who promote such platforms.
Tengco said PAGCOR works alongside the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to build cases against violators. He also estimated that roughly half of the online gambling operators active in the country fall outside legal channels.
