The Senate hearing on online gaming finally clarified the real issue—most of the harms being raised, such as underage gambling, unchecked betting, and financial distress, do not come from licensed operators. Instead, they stem from illegal, unregulated platforms that continue to operate in the shadows.


Licensed operators under PAGCOR are bound by strict oversight. They undergo regular audits, can face sanctions, and are required to implement KYC (Know Your Customer), age verification, and responsible gaming measures. Simply put: where regulation exists, player protection exists. Where illegality thrives, protection vanishes.

The PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines also backs the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) goal of protecting consumers and ensuring financial integrity. The most effective way to achieve this is to keep all lawful activity within the regulatory framework, where payments are traceable and supervised.

Shutting out licensed operators from legitimate payment platforms will not stop online gambling—it will only drive players to the dark web of illegal sites, where activity is untraceable, taxes are lost, and consumer protection is virtually nonexistent.

— PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines