Senator Erwin Tulfo on Friday revealed that GCash has committed to disconnect gambling links by 8 p.m. on the deadline and return funds to users who still have money in gambling accounts.
Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusements, reported that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has ordered e-wallet providers such as GCash to remove links to gambling sites by Saturday night.
“I said that if by Saturday night the link is still there, we will cite you in contempt. They agreed to it,” according to the senator.
Tulfo shared that his next goal is to prevent e-wallets from being used as payment methods for online betting. He favors a total ban on online gambling, but said the committee is also listening to proposals for stricter regulation from government agencies.
“Here in our country, the government is powerful. If it really wants to, if there’s political will, it can act, but if some refuse, there are always many excuses,” the senator said.
Tulfo cited Department of Finance data showing that 60% of online gambling operations are illegal, making enforcement a challenge.
He said agencies such as the DICT, NBI, PNP, and NTC must present concrete strategies to shut down illegal operators that quickly change domain names to evade detection.
He pointed to the experience with e-sabong, which was banned but shifted underground, as a warning that enforcement must be ready before a total ban is implemented.
“What we want to see, and what the people want, is that minors can no longer gamble, and students can no longer do online gambling,” the senator said.
Tulfo said PAGCOR has proposed requiring players to place bets at physical pay stations and limiting betting hours as ways to curb addiction.
He added that the committee is pushing for a total ban on gambling advertisements across billboards, social media, and other platforms once current ad contracts expire.
PAGCOR data showed that as of June 2025, there were 32.1 million Filipino e-gamblers, compared to just 469,000 in 2018.
