Positive Economic Impact
Tengco emphasized online gambling’s substantial economic footprint, churning over PHP100 billion in annual contributions through different channels. The regulator collected PHP50 billion in 2024 in licensing fees alone, while one top operator reportedly paid PHP30-40 billion in taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
The sector sustains 32,000 direct jobs and indirectly supports security, logistics, food services, and transportation industries. “There are security guards, drivers, messengers, restaurants, and various transportation companies used by those involved in the online gambling industry,” Tengco pointed out. He cautioned that a total ban could erase these gains, stating that hundreds of billions in revenue could be lost.
Illegal Platforms Amplify Dangers
While defending regulation over prohibition, Tengco acknowledged public concerns about gambling-related social harms. He stressed that unregulated foreign-operated platforms present graver risks than licensed operators.
“Right now, we can only capture about 45-50% of the entire online gaming sphere…because there are so many illegal operators that are still operating,” he noted, emphasizing their lack of safeguards like age verification. Unlike these platforms, PAGCOR-regulated services require participants to be 21+ years old.
Player complaints regarding unpaid winnings and vanished deposits have surged, underscoring the threats posed by these rogue entities. “What is really destroying the industry today are the illegal operators coming from other countries who are targeting Filipino customers,” Tengco reiterated.
Enhanced Safeguards
PAGCOR is deploying AI-driven monitoring systems to detect addictive gambling patterns and introduce features like mandatory self-exclusion and automated play suspensions after significant financial loss. Tengco clarified on the function of the cooling-off system, explaining, “If it sees, ‘there are more losers here than winners,’ then that will automatically stop you.”
A round-the-clock gambling addiction hotline and rehabilitation partnerships aim to address addiction cases. Concurrently, advertising reforms target large-scale billboards, which Tengco said “spring up like mushrooms.”
