Gambling businesses licensed in the Philippines band together to establish the PlaySafe Alliance
In the Philippines, the debate on online gambling has reached a fever pitch, with some lawmakers and the Catholic Church advocating for a ban. Amidst this intense debate, a new trade group, the PlaySafe Alliance, has been formed with a focus on ensuring player safety and responsible gambling.
The PlaySafe Alliance, consisting of 19 licensed online gambling operators in the Philippines, including Trojans Well Entertainment Corp, Gavin Ventures Inc, Playmate Leisure Solutions Corp, and Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc, seeks to demonstrate that a ban on online gambling would be an overreaching and unnecessary measure.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has argued that banning online gambling would cause more harm, as consumers would flock to the offshore market. He has shown less inclination towards an outright ban, instead advocating for measures that address potential gambling-related harm.
The central bank of the Philippines has called for stricter oversight of transactions that flow to and from gambling platforms. Proposals for regulating online gambling include banning GCash and Maya as means to fund accounts, and a PHP10,000 threshold for adding funds to a gambling account.
The PlaySafe Alliance aims to promote regulatory compliance, consumer protection, and limiting the reach of the illegal gambling market. Their efforts are seen as timely, given the ongoing debate on online gambling in the Philippines and the call for tighter oversight of the industry.
As of 2025, online gambling in the Philippines remains legal and regulated primarily by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), which continues to tighten rules against illegal sites and enhance regulatory oversight with technology like AI. However, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has implemented a sweeping ban on online gambling, particularly targeting operators and personnel to curb unauthorized access and address social concerns.
Despite the DILG's actions, the role of the PlaySafe Alliance in Philippine online gambling regulations remains unclear. As for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., there are no specific statements or policy positions referenced in the available data regarding his stance on online gambling regulation.
In conclusion, the PlaySafe Alliance is a meaningful initiative that wants to set out rules and suggest what the next steps in helping protect consumers could be. While the role of the PlaySafe Alliance and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s public stance on the matter are yet to be fully defined, the focus remains on promoting responsible gambling and consumer protection in the Philippines.
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- The PlaySafe Alliance, comprising 19 licensed online gambling operators in the Philippines, is advocating against an outright ban on online gambling, citing the potential harm of consumer flocking to offshore markets and proposing enhanced regulation, financial oversight, and consumer protection instead.
- As the debate on online gambling continues in the Philippines, with the Catholic Church and some lawmakers pushing for a ban, politicians are also considering regulations that might limit funding methods such as GCash and Maya, as well as a PHP10,000 threshold for adding funds to a gambling account.
