President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he was unaware that the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) had invested in an online gambling company.
“I didn’t even know about that…The complaint against any of these activities is really the social cost,” the President said when asked about reports linking GSIS to a stake in online gambling firm DigiPlus.
The GSIS earlier defended its P1-billion investment in DigiPlus Interactive Corp., asserting that the pension fund remains “strong, secure, and actuarially sound.”
In an official statement, GSIS said it welcomes the “scrutiny and call for public disclosure” and is prepared to present all relevant documents to regulatory bodies.
“As stewards of public trust, we affirm our unwavering commitment to act in the best interests of our members and pensioners. We remain guided by our mandate: to protect and grow the hard-earned contributions of government workers,” the state pension fund said.
As of June 2025, GSIS reported P1.88 trillion in total assets and P76.82 billion in net operating income, reflecting a 31-percent increase from the same period last year. It also maintained a five-year average return on investment of 6.75 percent.
Earlier, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said the DigiPlus investment was “alarming,” noting that the shares were bought at a peak of P65.30 and have since dropped to P13.68.”
As this developed, Mr. Marcos said the comprehensive policy being crafted by the government with what he described as a “conclave” of stakeholders will center on the social impact of online gambling.
The stakeholders include representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), addiction specialists, teachers, parents, law enforcement agencies, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
He said past bans, such as the prohibition on e-sabong, did not fully eradicate the activity.
“In my opinion, a ban will not take care of the problem. We have to be a little bit more measured in our response,” he said.
He said all possible solutions, including a ban, remain on the table but will be decided only after thorough consultations.
“If it comes down to a ban, then we will ban,” President Marcos said. “But if there are better solutions than a ban, we will take those on.”
On Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is finalizing new rules that will protect consumers from the risks associated with online gambling.
Strict identity verification, including biometric checks such as facial recognition, would ensure that only eligible individuals can use their funds for online gambling, the BSP said.
Daily limits on gambling-related transfers to reduce excessive financial losses will also be included in the new rules.
The BSP said the upcoming measures would also include time-based restrictions on gambling payments to help curb impulsive behavior and user tools for setting personal spending caps, taking voluntary breaks, or self-exclusion from gambling transactions.
“These safeguards aim to reduce the risks of addiction, fraud, and financial harm, while promoting the responsible use of digital financial services,” the BSP said.
