The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) recently issued a stringent directive, mandating all online gambling platforms and their partners to completely dismantle all offline billboards and outdoor promotional materials by August 15, 2025. This marks the first time the Philippines has set a clear deadline and nationwide regulation of gambling advertisements, demonstrating the government's determination to regulate the industry vigorously.
This measure targets the gambling advertisements that have rapidly spread across business districts and main thoroughfares in major cities such as Manila and Quezon City in recent years. Some advertisements not only aggressively promote but also encourage the downloading of gambling apps, sparking strong backlash from the public and religious groups.
PAGCOR's Vice President of Electronic Gaming, Jeremy Luglug, and Vice President of Licensing and Development, Ma. Vina Claudette Oca, jointly signed this order. A PAGCOR spokesperson stated that the agency will sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Philippine Advertising Standards Council (ASC) on July 16 to promote a unified national gambling advertisement review mechanism.
The regulatory measures are not limited to the cleanup of offline advertisements; future gambling advertisements in the Philippines will face more restrictions, including: banning advertisements near churches, schools, and hospitals; prohibiting the airing of gambling promotional content during prime television time; and mandating that all advertisements be pre-approved by the ASC, otherwise, they will face fines or revocation of their business licenses.
Additionally, the Philippine Fintech Alliance has announced that it will enhance the monitoring of gambling fund flows, particularly to prevent minors and high-risk users from accessing gambling platforms through electronic payment tools. The Central Bank of the Philippines (BSP) will also introduce new regulatory guidelines for online gambling transactions soon.
This crackdown is seen as a positive response by the government to societal pressures. In recent years, numerous legislators and religious organizations have warned that the proliferation of gambling advertisements leads to youth addiction and family breakdowns, calling for a "strong intervention" by the government.
All major gambling platforms have already received official notifications and have been instructed to immediately initiate advertisement cleanup and compliance rectification procedures.
