Lawmakers push to untie links between online gambling, e-wallets

Metro Manila, Philippines - A wave of bills seeking to cut links between online gambling and electronic wallets was filed in Congress, in a bid to curb addiction.

On Tuesday, July 1, five House lawmakers, mainly from Bukidnon, filed the “Anti-Online Gambling Promotions in E-Wallets” bill to hold platforms accountable should they be found as “channels for addiction.”

The bill provides that e-wallet applications shall be prohibited to redirect users to any online gambling platform and display advertisements in their channels, among others.

E-wallet operators may face up to P5 million and business license revocation, depending on the number of offenses. The bill also mandates deportation of foreign violators after settling fines.

At the Senate, Sen. Win Gatchalian also filed the “Online Gambling Regulatory” bill, which disables the direct link of e-wallets to gambling channels.

Gatchalian’s measure also prohibits people below 21 years old to register and access gambling platforms.

The senator’s version includes a provision for licensed operators to create rehabilitation facilities to address addiction.

In a press statement on Thursday, July 3, Akbayan party-list said it will seek an age cap for online gambling.

“Sa sugal, hindi chips o pera, kundi pangarap ang nakataya. Sa bawat cash-in sa e-gambling app, may pamilyang nawawasak at kabataang ninanakawan ng kinabukasan,” Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said.

[Translation: In gambling, it's not chips or money at stake, but dreams. With every cash-in on an e-gambling app, a family is torn apart and a young person's future is stolen.]

Akbayan said the move comes in the wake of criticisms from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on the government’s response on the matter.

The group said its chairman emeritus and Sen. Risa Hontiveros will file an identical version in the Senate.