Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. KENNETH T. GATCHALIAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
During the COVID-19 pandemic, online activity in the Philippines surged, including 
online gambling. With weak regulations, gambling platforms have exploited vulnerable 
Filipinos—especially minors and marginalized groups—by promoting quick-money 
games through ads and celebrity endorsements. 
The easy access to online gambling has led to rising mental health issues, 
financial troubles, addiction, and increased crime rates. Reported cases include theft, 
shootings over winnings, and a surge of property crimes in some cities. The 
disappearance of 34 sabungeros linked to illegal e-sabong operations highlights the 
severity of the problem. 
Unlicensed gambling websites are widespread. As of June 2025, the Department 
of Information and Communications Technology has shut down 7,000 unauthorized 
sites, with numbers continuing to grow. PAGCOR has also urged the public to report 
individuals struggling with online gambling addiction to restrict their access. 
To address these issues, this bill seeks to regulate online gambling, crack down on 
illegal operations, and penalize those responsible. It aims to maintain peace, order, and 
moral integrity in the country by proposing the following regulatory measures: 
1. Designation of proper regulatory authorities to oversee and enforce online
gambling laws.
2. to issue licenses and to oversee compliance of online gambling operators;
3. Prohibition of certain persons, including persons below twenty-one (21) years of
age, and government officials and employees from participating in any online
gambling activities;
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4. Requirement on due diligence and authentication measures of players during
account registration and account log-in on the online gambling platforms to be
undertaken by the online gambling platform operator;
5. Regulation on account funding and withdrawal, including the prohibition on the
linking of e-wallets to online gambling platforms;
6. Imposition of guidelines on advertising online gambling;
7. Mandatory registration of online gambling operators with the Anti-Money
Laundering Council as a covered person;
8. Setting a minimum cash-in (PHP 10,000.00) and top-up (PHP 5,000.00) deposit in
online gambling platforms;
9. Engagement of third-party auditor to ensure proper reporting of gross gaming
revenues earned from online gambling;
10. Imposition of documentary stamp tax on every wager placed and income tax on
winnings from online gambling games;
11. Restrictions on online gambling promotional sponsorships;
12. Prohibition on campaign contribution from online gambling operators;
13. Issuance of disabling order to restrict or block access unlicensed online gambling
platform or prohibited online content;
14. Requirement on online gambling platforms to institute a mechanism to ban and
exclude players and a responsible gaming program; and
15. Imposition of penalties for the commission of prohibited acts and other violations
of the law.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
KENNETH T. GATCHALIAN


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. KENNETH T. GATCHALIAN 
AN ACT REGULATING ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE PHILIPPINES 
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 “Online Gambling 
Regulatory Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. –  The State recognizes that in a democratic society, the 
maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and 
promotion of the general welfare is paramount. It is thereby the policy of the State to 
protect the people from all matters affecting the security of its social order and free people 
from poverty through policies that provide an improved quality of life for all.  
Furthermore, the State recognizes the role of youth in nation building, Hence, the 
state shall promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-
being of the youth.  
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. –  For the purposes of this Act: 
a.
Advertising refers to the business of conceptualizing, presenting,
making available and communicating to the public, through any form of
mass media, any fact, data or information about the attributes, features,
quality or availability of consumer products, services or credit;
b.
Biometric information refers to front-facing photograph, fingerprint,
iris scan and/or such other identifiable features of an individual;
c.
Celebrity refers to any natural person who, by his or her
accomplishments or fame, or by reason of his or her profession or calling,
gives the public a legitimate interest in his or her doings, affairs and
character. The term includes anyone who has arrived at a position where
public attention is focused upon him or her as a person, such as, but not
limited to, actors, athletes and other sports personalities, war heroes, famous
inventors, social media influencers and explorers, among others;
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d. 
Electronic money issuers refer to entities which provide money 
transfer or remittance services using electronic stored money value system 
and similar digital financial services;  
e. 
Electronic wallet or e-wallet refers to an electronic instrument or device 
that can store digital value accessible via mobile phones or other access 
device and other similar products;  
f. Internet intermediaries refer to persons or entities that provide infrastructure, 
platforms, access to, and host, transmit and index content, products and 
services originated by third parties on the internet. These include, among 
others:  
(1) Internet service providers;  
(2) Web hosting providers including domain name registrars;  
(3) Internet search engines and portals;  
(4) E-commerce intermediaries;  
(5) Internet payment system providers; and  
(6) Participative network platform providers including social media 
intermediaries.  
g. 
Multi-Factor Authentication refers to an authentication method that 
require two (2) or more verification factors to gain access to a resource;  
h. 
Online Content refers to textual, aural, or visual content published on 
a website, including social media platforms;  
i. Online Gambling Games refer to virtual games of chance and mixed games 
of chance and skills such as Traditional Bingo Games, eBingo Games, eCasino 
Games, Sports Betting, Specialty Games, Online Poker Games, or any suite of 
games that may be allowed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming 
Corporation (PAGCOR);  
j. Online Gambling refers to the conduct of online games and the taking of 
wagers through any computer or communication device connected to the 
Internet or the use of Internet-based technology and other communication 
devices that are necessary for gaming operations. This includes the offering 
of online gambling games or wagering via online gambling platform outside 
the gaming area of a land-based casino;  
k. 
Online Gambling Platform refers to the virtual venue or online channel 
developed to allow the registered players to remotely access, through the 
internet, the online gambling games. It may be web-based or accessed via a 
mobile application;  
l. Online Gambling Operator refers to individual, corporation, or other private 
entity duly licensed by authorities to set-up and to operate an online 
gambling platform; and  
m. 
Personal Information refers to any information whether recorded in a 
material form or not, from which the identity of an individual is apparent or 
can be reasonably and directly ascertained by the entity holding the 
information, or when put together with other information would directly and 


certainly identify an individual as defined in Republic Act No. 10173 or the 
"Data Privacy Act of 2012".  
n. 
Regulatory Authorities refer to PAGCOR, special economic zone 
authorities, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), 
freeport authorities, and other pertinent government agencies authorized to 
issue license and regulate online gambling operators.  
SEC. 4. Regulatory Authorities. – Only online gambling platforms duly licensed by 
the PAGCOR, special economic zone authorities, TIEZA, freeport authorities, and other 
pertinent government agencies, may host online gambling games, as defined under this 
Act, and accept wagers from bettors not prohibited under this Act. Such regulatory 
authorities are mandated to oversee the operations of online gambling operators and 
ensure their compliance to the provisions of this Act.   
SEC. 5. Registration of Online Gambling Operators. – Only corporations duly registered 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), whose primary purpose refer to 
online gambling, may apply license from the regulatory authorities: as defined under 
Section 4: Provided, That foreign nationals may operate as an online gambling operator 
subject to compliance with the foreign ownership restrictions under Republic Act No. 
7042 or the “Foreign Investments Acts of 1991”, as amended.   
SEC. 6. Prohibited Persons. – The following persons are not allowed to participate in 
any online gambling games or activities:  
a. 
Persons below twenty-one (21) years of age are not allowed to 
register and access the online gambling platform. The online gambling 
operator shall implement effective measures to ensure the denial of access to 
individuals below twenty-one (21) years of age;  
b. 
Government officials and employees connected directly with the 
operation of the Government or any of its agencies;   
c. 
Member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the Army, 
Navy, Air Force or the Philippine National Police;   
d. 
Persons banned or excluded by an Exclusion Order in accordance 
with the provisions of this Act; and   
e. 
Any other persons prohibited to play or participate in any forms of 
gambling under other laws.  
The online gambling platform shall ensure that the prohibited persons cannot access 
their website or platform. Failure to do so shall be considered as a violation of this Act.