Alejandro Tengco, Chairman and CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has publicly stated his firm opposition to the congressional proposal for a "total ban on online gambling." He emphasized that online gambling has become a crucial pillar of the Philippine economy, and a forced ban could lead to a financial loss of up to 100 billion pesos and severely impact the job market.
In a radio interview, Tengco pointed out that in 2024 alone, the online gambling industry is expected to contribute over 50 billion pesos in licensing revenues to the government, plus income taxes, with the largest licensed platforms paying between 30 billion to 40 billion pesos in taxes annually. Online gambling currently accounts for 38% of PAGCOR's total revenue, with total gambling revenue in 2024 projected at 410 billion pesos, expected to increase to 480 billion by 2025.
Beyond tax revenue, the industry directly employs about 32,000 people and stimulates the development of supporting industries such as security, transportation, catering, and logistics. Tengco warned that a gambling ban would also severely impact these service chains.
He emphasized that the biggest issue in the industry is not the legal platforms, but rather the offshore illegal operators. These unlicensed platforms are open to Filipino users and involve issues such as underage betting and refusal to pay out winnings, disrupting the industry ecosystem. Currently, regular platforms only account for 45% to 50% of the market, with illegal platforms still dominating. PAGCOR has received numerous complaints from users.
Regarding legislative direction, Tengco clearly stated his opposition to Senator Zubiri's total ban proposal, favoring instead the "strong regulation" model proposed by Senator Zhang Qiaowei, which includes restricting the use of electronic wallets for gambling payments to curb uncontrolled betting behavior. He calls on the government to find a balance between economic benefits and social responsibility.
