A lawmaker has called on the government to prohibit e-wallet apps from being connected or used by online gambling sites.
Bukidnon representative Jonathan Keith Flores made the plea as he noted that an online gambling epidemic is currently afflicting ordinary Filipinos, particularly the poor.
“Sa ilang pindot lang, ubos ang kakarampot na sweldo na para sana sa bigas, kuryente, o matrikula. Tahimik pero malupit itong sumisira ng pamilya at kinabukasan ng kabataan,” Flores said in a statement.
“Let’s make it harder to gamble, not easier,” said Flores. “E-wallets should not serve as easy gateways to gambling apps. Their platforms are being used, whether they admit it or not, as channels of addiction.”
He said many digital payment systems now allow seamless top-ups and even carry built-in links to online casinos and betting platforms. That setup, according to Flores, turns gambling into a dangerously convenient habit, especially for those who can least afford it.
Flores said part of what spurred him into action was seeing firsthand the rising number of young people and struggling breadwinners in his district who had fallen into gambling addiction because of easy access through mobile apps.
He also cited the overwhelming response of Filipinos to a recent Facebook post by content creator Kulas (Becoming Filipino), who openly shared his concerns about how widespread and normalized mobile gambling has become in the country.
“The way people reacted to Kulas’ post showed that this issue is hitting too close to home for too many Filipino families,” Flores said.
Flores said he is now drafting a measure that will disconnect e-wallets and fintech platforms from gambling sites, block payment processing for online betting, and impose stricter safeguards on digital financial services that have quietly enabled this growing problem.
“This is not yet a blanket ban, but that’s the direction we may be forced to take if we continue to see the future of our children and families torn apart,” Flores warned. “Payment platforms must not be complicit. Their convenience should never come at the cost of Filipino lives.”
Flores also urged regulators such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Securities and Exchange Commission to examine the operations of e-wallet companies that allow or promote online gambling on their apps.
“There must be accountability. Technology must not make it easier for vice to thrive,” said Flores.
Meanwhile, Manila representative Rolando Valeriano has asked Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to order the revocation of any administrative issuances and regulations that allow the existence and operation of any forms of online gambling, including online casinos and online sports betting.
“I urge the Department of Justice and the Executive Branch to recognize the harms of online gambling and recommend its inclusion among punishable cybercrimes through new legislation or a presidential issuance,” he said.
Valeriano echoed the proposal of Flores for the BSP to prohibit any electronic payment systems and e-wallets from being online gambling tools and conduits.
“I will match those administrative efforts with a bill banning online gambling and betting mobile apps,” the lawmaker said.
Valeriano said licensed gambling operations must only be at onsite venues strictly regulated by Pagcor or the Games and Amusements Board and far from any residential area.
“Online gambling is highly addictive. There must be insurmountable hurdles laid to stop and reverse the societal menace of online gambling now,” he said.
