PAGCOR: Online gambling transactions down 50% since e-wallets ban
PAGCOR Chairman Al Tengco reported the development during a briefing on the operations of the state-run firm vis-a-vis its expected contributions to the proposed P6.7-trillion budget for 2026.
"Para po sa kaalaman ng lahat, naobserbahan po ng PAGCOR, simula po noong araw ng Linggo hanggang kahapon ay bumagsak po ng siguro ay 50% ang online gaming transactions simula nu'ng inuutos ng Bangko Sentral na mag-delink muna ang mga e-payment platforms sa integration with online gaming companies," Tengco said before the House Committee on Appropriations.
(This is to inform the public that based on Pagcor's observations, from Sunday to today, online gambling transactions went down by 50% due to the BSP order banning e-wallets from integrating with online gaming companies.)
"It is the BSP which regulates the e-payment platforms, and we have been exchanging information with them. I would like to give credit to the BSP because they are also coming with stricter guidelines to control the e-payment platforms," Tengco added.
Last Thursday, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan told the Senate committee on games and amusement that e-wallets were given 48 hours to take down icons and links to online gambling platforms.
E-wallet service providers GCash and Maya later announced that they have complied with the Sunday deadline.
Tangonan made the announcement as he and other officials were being grilled by senators on steps taken to curb the alleged addiction of many Filipinos in online gaming.
Meanwhile, Tengco said PAGCOR still has a lot of catching up to do to prevent the addiction, given that only 40% of online gambling providers are legally licensed and, thus, regulated by his office.
"Our regulation is not perfect, but I am assuring the members of this committee and of the House that we are trying our best to make certain adjustments to cope with the exponential growth of online gaming, not only here in the Philippines," Tengco said.
He added, "Ang nakakalungkot pong sabihin, wala pa pong 40% ang legal online gaming dito po sa Pilipinas ... mahigit pong 60% ang illegal pa. Ang mga illegal na site na ito ay hindi po nag-o-operate dito sa ating bansa," Tengco said.
(Sadly, less than 40% of online gambling are legally operating ... the remaining 60% are illegal who operate offshore.)
The illegal online gaming operators, Tengco said, are based in Russia, Dubai, Cambodia and Singapore, to name a few.
On the other hand, Tengco said there are at least 70 online gaming providers which have license to operate issued by Pagcor.
"We have reached out to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the Philippine National Police and its Cybercrime department para masugpo po ito pero unfortunately, hirap na hirap po tayong pigilin itong illegal online gambling," Tengco said.
(We have reached out to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the Philippine National Police and its Cybercrime department to stop illegal online gambling but unfortunately, it's very difficult to do.)
"Doon po ang pagkakaiba sapagkat masasabi ko naman na doon po sa kumulang na 70 na may lisensya eh sumusunod sila sa mga patakaran," Tengco added.
(There lies the difference because the ones licensed to operate here are compliant with our regulations.)
Late last month, PAGCOR reported a double-digit growth in the country's gaming industry in terms of total revenues, reaching over P200 billion in the first half of 2025, amid the popularity of online or digital betting among Filipinos.
PAGCOR data showed that the sector's gross gaming revenues (GGR) stood at P214.75 billion from January to June 2025, up 26% from P171 billion year-on-year.
The electronic gaming sector—composed of e-games, e-bingo, and bingo grantees–outpaced traditional or brick-and-mortar gaming with P114.83 billion in gross revenues or 53.47% of total GGR. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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