Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE AUDREY KAY T. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 12, Article II1 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to protect and 
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution while Section 132 of the same 
Article mandates the State to promote and protect the moral, intellectual and social well-
being of the youth recognizing their role in nation-building. 
Gambling addiction has been a perennial problem of society for years. Studies have 
consistently shown a strong correlation between gambling and debt, with a small percentage 
of heavily indebted individuals accounting for a disproportionate amount of gambling 
deposits.3 
The Philippines is no stranger to this dilemma. From a recorded P58.16 billion in 
revenues for online gambling in 2023, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. 
1 SECTION 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a 
basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from 
conception 
2 SECTION 13. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect 
their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. 
3 Gambling among indebted individuals: an analysis of bank transaction data | European Journal of Public 
Health | Oxford Academic 
July 10, 2025
2:27 pm
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(PAGCOR) has reported a phenomenal increase in revenues of P154.51 billion in 2024 and 
P51.39 billion just within the first quarter of 2025.4 
The proliferation of gambling addiction even among the youth, has been further 
exacerbated by luring online advertisements and accessibility of online gambling sites in 
various platforms. Reports even indicate that minors would often spend substantial amounts 
of their “baon” or their parents’ money to sustain their online gambling addiction. 
The potential harm that online gambling may cause to society especially the youth, 
outweighs its promised economic gains. What appears to be a harmless press of a button 
leading to an online gambling site or spending a few hundred pesos in e-casino can lead to 
irreversible consequences that goes beyond just drowning in debt. Some even lead to 
depression or death.5 
We firmly believe that without immediate legislative intervention, the harmful effects 
of gambling addiction will continue to grow, especially among the Filipino youth.  
We do not want to propagate more tragic outcomes including loss of life.  Hence, this 
bill seeks to impose a comprehensive ban on all forms of online gambling in the Philippines 
aimed to protect individuals — most especially minors — from the financial and 
psychological harms associated with gambling. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
           AUDREY KAY T. ZUBIRI 
Representative, 3rd District of Bukidnon 
4 Online Gambling: income for government, scourge for poor Filipinos, by Kurt Dela Pena, Asia Network, July 
10, 2025. 
5 Police: Gambling debts drove man to kill son, wife, self by Jeannette Andrade, Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 
12, 2012. 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____________ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE AUDREY KAY T. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Online Gambling 
1 
Act of 2025”. 
2 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Pursuant to Section 12, Article II of the Constitution 
4 
which states that, “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and 
5 
strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution,” as well as Section 13 of the 
6 
same Article which states that, “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
7 
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social 
8 
well-being,” it is the policy of the State to protect the moral, intellectual, psychological, and 
9 
emotional development of its citizens, especially children and vulnerable sectors, from the 
10 
effects of online gambling.  
11 
12 
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To this end, online gambling in the Philippines is hereby banned and declared 
1 
unlawful. 
2 
3 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act: 
4 
5 
a.
Internet refers to an international computer network of interoperable packet-switched
6 
data networks. It includes the electronic medium in which online communication
7 
takes place.
8 
b. Internet applications refer to software and tools that enable users to access and utilize
9 
the internet’s functionalities.
10 
11 
c.
Online gambling refers to any form of placing, receiving, or otherwise knowingly
12 
transmitting a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, in whole or in part,
13 
of the internet.
14 
15 
d. Gambling Operator refers to any person, entity, or company authorized to offer
16 
gambling services.
17 
18 
e.
Advertising includes all forms of promotion, marketing, sponsorships, endorsements,
19 
or public display of online gambling content through digital platforms and physical
20 
media.
21 
22 
f.
Internet Service Providers or ISPs – refer to
23 
1. Any public or private entity that provides to users of its service the ability to
24 
communicate by means of a computer system; and
25 
2. Any other entity that processes or stores computer data on behalf of such
26 
communication service or its users.
27 
28 
g. Digital platforms refer to information and communication technology-enabled
29 
mechanisms that connect and integrate producers and users in online environments
30 
where goods and services are requested, developed, and sold, and data is generated
31 
and exchanged such as, but not limited to, e-marketplace, mobile application
32 
platforms, online delivery platforms, social media platforms, and travel platforms;
33 
and
34 


 
 
1 
h. Electronic wallet (e-wallet) service provider refers to an entity that provides 
2 
electronic money issuance or digital wallet services by storing monetary value 
3 
electronically in an instrument or device, making it widely acceptable for payments 
4 
and withdrawable in cash or cash equivalent, and which is registered or licensed by 
5 
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as an Electronic Money Issuer or Operator of a 
6 
Payment System which shall include credit card companies. 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 4. Prohibited Acts.  – Online gambling is prohibited and declared unlawful in 
9 
the Philippines. As such, it shall be prohibited for any person or entity to conduct or offer 
10 
online gambling as defined under this law.  This prohibition shall include but not limited to 
11 
the following activities: 
12 
 
13 
a. Establishment, operation, or conduct of online gambling in the Philippines which 
14 
shall cover those off-shore or foreign operated digital gambling platforms or 
15 
applications; 
16 
b. Acceptance of any form of betting or wager by digital gambling platforms or 
17 
applications through online;  
18 
c. Facilitating and use of electronic wallet or e-wallet and other digital payment 
19 
systems for online gambling; and  
20 
d. Advertising through traditional media, online and social media including posts of 
21 
content creators, vloggers and influencers which promote online gambling and 
22 
specific digital gambling platforms.  
23 
 
24 
Any gambling operator, media provider, advertising agency, or other entity found in 
25 
violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalties outlined under Section 6 of this 
26 
Act.  
27 
 
28 
SEC. 5. Obligations of Internet Service Providers, Mobile Network Operators, and 
29 
Digital Platforms. – To ensure effective implementation of this Act and limit public access to 
30 
online gambling platforms and applications, all Internet Service Providers (ISPs), mobile 
31 
telecommunications providers, digital applications, and similar platforms operating within 
32 
the Philippines shall have the following obligations: 
33 
 
34 


 
a. Website Blocking – ISPs and mobile providers shall, upon order of the Philippine 
1 
Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the Department of Justice – 
2 
Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC), block access to all local or foreign-based 
3 
online gambling websites and platforms operating in violation of this Act or other 
4 
existing laws. 
5 
 
6 
b. Application Removal – Digital application distribution platforms, including 
7 
application stores and mobile marketplaces, shall immediately remove or disable 
8 
access to all gambling-related applications.   
9 
 
10 
c. Mandatory Response Period – All take-down, blocking, or removal requests 
11 
issued by PAGCOR or the DOJ-OOC shall be acted upon within seventy-two (72) 
12 
hours from official receipt. Failure to comply within this period shall constitute a 
13 
violation subject to enforcement under Section 6 of this Act. 
14 
 
15 
d. Reporting and Compliance Mechanism – All covered entities shall maintain a 
16 
mechanism for regular reporting to PAGCOR detailing the number of blocked 
17 
websites, removed applications, and pending takedown requests. Such reports 
18 
shall be submitted on a quarterly basis or as required under the implementing 
19 
rules and regulations. 
20 
 
21 
e. Penalties for Non-Compliance – Failure to comply with the obligations under this 
22 
Section may result in administrative penalties including fines, suspension of 
23 
licenses, and, where applicable, revocation of authority to operate digital or 
24 
telecommunication services in the Philippines. 
25 
 
26 
SEC. 6. Penalties. –  
27 
a. Any person, entity, gambling operator and digital payment systems found 
28 
violating any provision of Sections 4 and 5 of this Act shall be subject to the 
29 
following penalties to be imposed by the PAGCOR after due notice and hearing: 
30 
 
31 
a. 
First Offense – a fine of not less than Twenty Million Pesos 
32 
(Php20,000,000.00) and suspension of license for six (6) months; 
33 


 
b. 
Second Offense – a fine of not less than Fifty Million Pesos 
1 
(50,000,000.00) or a suspension of license for one (1) year; and 
2 
c. 
Third and Succeeding Offenses – aside from the administrative 
3 
penalties of a fine of not less than One Hundred Million Pesos 
4 
(Php100,000,000.00) and permanent revocation of its license or permit 
5 
to operate that PAGCOR may impose, the offender may be subjected 
6 
to criminal prosecution under this Act, and the Chief Operating Officer 
7 
or President of the company shall be penalized with imprisonment of 
8 
not more than six (6) years by the court. 
9 
 
10 
 
SEC. 7. PAGCOR as Lead Agency. – PAGCOR shall be the lead agency to effectively 
11 
implement the provisions and purposes of this Act. Further, to complement regulatory efforts 
12 
and mitigate the social and psychological harms of gambling, PAGCOR, in coordination with 
13 
the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department 
14 
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), shall implement the following programs: 
15 
 
16 
a. National Information and Awareness Campaigns – PAGCOR shall lead annual 
17 
nationwide information campaigns focused on the risks of gambling addiction, 
18 
particularly among minors and vulnerable populations. These campaigns shall utilize 
19 
print, broadcast, and digital media, including social media platforms, to educate the 
20 
public on the warning signs of gambling problems and promote responsible gambling 
21 
behaviors. 
22 
b. Curriculum Integration and Digital Literacy – The DepEd, in consultation with 
23 
PAGCOR and relevant stakeholders, shall develop and integrate age-appropriate 
24 
digital literacy modules into the K–12 curriculum. These modules shall include 
25 
content on the nature and risks of gambling, media and advertising literacy, and 
26 
healthy online behaviors.  
27 
c. Community-Based Counseling and Support Services – The DOH and the DSWD, in 
28 
partnership with local government units (LGUs), shall establish and operate 
29 
community-level hotlines, help centers, and referral systems for individuals and 
30 
families affected by gambling addiction. These services shall be staffed by trained 
31 
professionals and accessible free of charge to the public. 
32 
d. Program Funding and Monitoring – PAGCOR shall allocate a portion of its annual 
33 
gross revenues to support the development, implementation, and monitoring of the 
34 


 
above-mentioned programs. An annual report on the status, reach, and impact of these 
1 
initiatives shall be submitted to Congress by PAGCOR. 
2 
 
3 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Philippine Amusement and 
4 
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), in coordination with the Department of Information and 
5 
Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), shall formulate 
6 
and issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the 
7 
effectivity of this Act. 
8 
 
9 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be declared 
10 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full 
11 
force and effect. 
12 
 
13 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, decrees, executive orders, 
14 
proclamations, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent 
15 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended, accordingly. 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
18 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
19 
 
Approved,