The recent Senate hearing in the Philippines has seen a unified show of support from licensed online gambling operators. Their message was clear: the real threat isn’t regulated entities, but rather the unchecked spread of illegal, unlicensed platforms.

The Core Concern: Illegal Platforms Driving Harm

A coalition of licensed operators—collectively known as the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines—issued a public statement applauding the Senate's recognition that social harms such as underage access, uncontrolled betting, and financial distress stem from unregulated platforms, not from PAGCOR‑licensed operators. The alliance emphasized:

“Where regulation exists, protection exists; where illegality thrives, protection vanishes.” 

Regulatory Oversight vs. Shadow Market Risks

Licensed operators underscored the extensive consumer safeguards they uphold—such as rigorous Know‑Your‑Customer (KYC) protocols, age verification measures, and responsible gaming frameworks. These are supported and enforced by PAGCOR’s system of audits and sanctions.

Payment Disconnect: A Double-Edged Sword?

Recent mandates from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordered e‑wallet providers like GCash and Maya to remove links to gambling apps. While aiming to curb access, the PlaySafe Alliance warned this could inadvertently drive players toward cryptic, unregulated alternatives that lack traceability, tax compliance, and user protections:

“Delinking licensed operators from online payment platforms would not stop gambling. It risks pushing players into the dark corners of the internet where activity is untraceable, taxes disappear, and harm is harder to detect.” 

The alliance supports BSP’s consumer protection goals but insists that weakening regulated operators’ ties to payment providers only strengthens the appeal of illegal markets.