Gatchalian Urges Stronger Action vs Illegal Online Gambling

Philippine lawmaker Sherwin Gatchalian has renewed his push for tougher action against illegal online gambling, calling on authorities to go beyond site blocking and focus on stopping offshore operators at their source. His latest remarks come even as the government reports tens of thousands of gambling domains already restricted inside the country.

Push to Stop Operators at the Source

Gatchalian argued that simply cutting access to websites is not enough to solve the problem, as foreign-based operators repeatedly reappear through new domains and channels. His comments followed figures from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center, which said it has blocked around 50,000 online gaming sites, with the vast majority hosted overseas.

He likened illegal platforms to a recurring threat that cannot be eliminated through user-side blocking alone, stressing that enforcement must also target the infrastructure and networks enabling these sites to operate and reach Filipino players.

Proposal for Cyber Diplomats and Treaty Expansion

Officials at the cybercrime agency have also outlined structural changes they believe would strengthen cross-border enforcement. Speaking to the Philippine News Agency, CICC Executive Director Renato Paraiso suggested appointing dedicated cyber diplomats to improve coordination with foreign governments. He noted that the Philippines currently lacks such positions, which limits international cooperation on digital crime cases.

Paraiso also recommended widening mutual legal assistance treaties so they explicitly cover cybercrime. At present, he said, many agreements focus on traditional offenses, making international evidence-sharing and enforcement requests more difficult in online gambling investigations.

From Ban Advocacy to Regulation Support

Gatchalian has played a leading role in Senate reviews of the domestic online gaming and eGames sector, which expanded quickly before tighter rules were introduced in the latter half of 2025. While a full prohibition was previously discussed during hearings, the senator has since shifted toward backing a regulated framework instead of an outright ban.

He indicated that banning online gaming entirely could push activity into unregulated underground channels, making oversight and consumer protection harder to achieve.

Online Segment Drives Revenue Growth

The debate unfolds as digital gambling represents an increasing share of national gaming income. The country’s regulator, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, reported that more than half of 2025 gaming revenue came from electronic channels such as eGames, eBingo and bingo grantees, out of total receipts of PHP53.3 billion.

With online gambling now a major revenue contributor, policymakers face the dual challenge of supporting regulated growth while strengthening defenses against illegal offshore operators. Gatchalian’s position remains that blocking sites alone will not be enough without deeper international and upstream enforcement measures.