The latest survey by the Philippine research institute The Fourth Wall shows that illegal online gambling has fully penetrated the country, with about 90% of the population able to access unregulated platforms almost without identity verification. This low-threshold environment allows a large number of minors and high-risk players to easily access gambling, posing serious social risks.
Data shows that about 80% of the surveyed players pointed out that these websites generally have no betting limits, leading many people to suffer heavy losses due to large bets. At the same time, the platforms lack the "Know Your Customer" (KYC) mechanisms common in legal gambling sites, making identity verification almost nominal.
The research further reveals multiple risks of illegal gambling platforms:
Financial risk: Frequent cases of losing large sums of money or even bankruptcy;
Fraud risk: Funds can be embezzled at any time, with no recourse;
Privacy risk: Personal information is sold, leading to an overflow of spam;
Legal risk: More than half of the players (55%) are unaware of the legal consequences, and only 12% are aware of the risks.
In addition, the survey found that players on illegal platforms bet more frequently and in larger amounts, with losses exceeding 5,000 pesos almost exclusively seen on these sites. Despite knowing it's illegal, many players still choose to stay, not because of legality, but because they "feel it's easier to win money and withdraw smoothly," and even see this as a sign of being "trustworthy and fair."
Research head John Brylle Bae emphasizes that policymakers should focus on improving payment channels, verification mechanisms, and advertising standards to enhance the safety and convenience of legal platforms from the source, rather than simply punishing players. This survey covered Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, involving 400 online players who have participated in illegal online gambling.
