Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1815 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Rep. Robert Nazal   
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution recognizes the family as the foundation of the 
nation and mandates the State to “protect and strengthen the family as a basic 
autonomous social institution” and to “promote and protect the physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of the youth” (Article II, Sections 12 and 
13). These duties take on renewed urgency amid the unprecedented expansion of 
online gambling in the country. 
According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), 
total gross gaming revenue reached ₱285.27 billion in 2023, the highest on record. 
The e-games sector alone accounted for ₱58.16 billion, reflecting a 106% increase 
over 2022 (PAGCOR Press Release, 7 February 2024). These figures underscore not 
only the commercial scale of the industry but its accelerating penetration into homes 
via mobile phones, tablets, and computers. 
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has warned that Internet-based 
casinos are among the sectors most vulnerable to money laundering, citing a high 
level of anonymity of customers, weak compliance controls, and frequent use of 
remittance-based transactions. Between 2013 and 2019, ₱14 billion in suspicious 
transaction reports (STRs) were filed on internet casino operators and service 
providers, with many linked to transactions lacking legal or economic justification 
(AMLC Risk Assessment on Internet-Based Casinos, 2020). 
July 14, 2025
8:05 am


Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that gambling harms 
are rising due to commercialization and digitization, and that around 1.2% of the 
world’s adults meet criteria for gambling disorder. Importantly, WHO emphasizes that 
for every person gambling at harmful levels, an average of six others—family members 
and dependents—are also negatively affected (WHO Gambling Fact Sheet, 
December 2024). The WHO has further noted that gambling can contribute to financial 
distress, relationship breakdown, family violence, and intergenerational cycles of 
harm. 
 
In the Philippines, parents and educators have voiced increasing concern that 
aggressive marketing on social media platforms and the easy availability of gambling 
apps are exposing children and adolescents to betting at an early age. These risks are 
compounded by economic insecurity, which makes many households more vulnerable 
to the lure of instant winnings. 
 
The State cannot allow Filipino families to be torn apart, the poor to be trapped 
in addiction, and the next generation to grow up under the false promise of easy money 
at the cost of their dignity and health. While the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming 
Operations (POGO) has addressed certain external threats, domestic online gambling 
platforms remain a pervasive and insidious menace. Without clear statutory 
prohibitions and robust enforcement, this problem will only escalate. 
 
This bill therefore seeks to establish decisive measures to protect the public by: 
1. Declaring unlawful the operation, facilitation, promotion, and advertisement of 
all forms of online gambling accessible within Philippine territory; 
2. Mandating internet service providers, mobile network operators, and digital 
platforms to block access to gambling websites and remove gambling 
applications within seventy-two (72) hours of official regulatory notice; 
3. Banning the use of electronic wallets, credit cards, and other digital payment 
systems for gambling transactions; 
4. Imposing strict administrative fines and criminal liability for operators, 
advertisers, and payment intermediaries found in violation of this Act; and 
5. Implementing nationwide education campaigns, school-based digital literacy 
programs, and community-based support services to mitigate gambling-
related harm. 
 
The World Health Organization affirms that comprehensive regulatory 
measures banning online gambling—alongside public education and restrictions on 
payment channels—represent among the most effective strategies to protect 
populations from gambling-related harm.  


The BH Party-list fully supports the advocacy championed in the Senate by 
Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and now files this counterpart measure to 
affirm our collective commitment: the welfare of our children, the stability of our 
families, and the dignity of our communities shall not be surrendered to predatory 
gambling interests. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
ROBERT NAZAL 
Representative 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1815 
___________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Rep. Robert Nazal 
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING ONLINE GAMBLING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Online Gambling 
Act of 2025”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Pursuant to Section 12, Article II of the 
Constitution which states that “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall 
protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution”, as well as 
Section 13 of the same Article which states that “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”, it is the policy of the State to protect the 
moral, intellectual, psychological, and emotional development of its citizens, especially 
children and vulnerable sectors, from the effects of online gambling.   
To this end, online gambling in the Philippines is hereby banned and declared 
unlawful.  
 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act: 
a. Internet refers to an international computer network of interoperable packet-
switched data networks. It includes the electronic medium in which online 
communication takes place. 


b. Internet applications refer to software and tools that enable users to access 
and utilize the internet’s functionalities.  
c. Online gambling refers to any form of placing, receiving, or otherwise 
knowingly transmitting a bet or wager by any means which involves the use, in 
whole or in part, of the internet. 
d. Gambling Operator refers to any person, entity, or company authorized to 
offer gambling services. 
e. Advertising includes all forms of promotion, marketing, sponsorships, 
endorsements, or public display of online gambling content through digital 
platforms and physical media. 
f. Internet Service Providers or ISPs – refers to  
1. Any public or private entity that provides to users of its service the ability to 
communicate by means of a computer system; and 
2. Any other entity that processes or stores computer data on behalf of such 
communication service or its users.  
g. Digital platforms refer to information and communication technology-enabled 
mechanisms that connect and integrate producers and users in online 
environments where goods and services are requested, developed, and sold, 
and data is generated and exchanged such as, but not limited to, e-
marketplace, mobile application platforms, online delivery platforms, social 
media platforms, and travel platforms; and 
h. Electronic wallet (e-wallet) service provider refers to an entity that provides 
electronic money issuance or digital wallet services by storing monetary value 
electronically in an instrument or device, making it widely acceptable for 
payments and withdrawable in cash or cash equivalent, and which is registered 
or licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as an Electronic Money 
Issuer or Operator of a Payment System which shall include credit card 
companies. 
 
SEC. 4. Prohibited Acts.  – Online gambling is prohibited and declared unlawful 
in the Philippines, as such it shall be prohibited for any person or entity to conduct or 
offer online gambling as defined under this law.  This prohibition shall include but not 
limited to the following activities: 


a. Establishment, operation, or conduct of online gambling in the Philippines 
which shall cover those off-shore or foreign operated digital gambling 
platforms or applications; 
b. Acceptance of any form of betting or wager by digital gambling platforms or 
applications through online;  
c. Facilitating and use of electronic wallet or e-wallet and other digital payment 
systems for online gambling; and  
d. Advertising through traditional media, online and social media including 
posts of content creators, vloggers and influencers which promote online 
gambling and specific digital gambling platforms.  
 
Any gambling operator, media provider, advertising agency, or other entity 
found in violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalties outlined under 
Section 6 of this Act.  
 
SEC. 5. Obligations of Internet Service Providers, Mobile Network Operators, 
and Digital Platforms. – To ensure effective implementation of this Act and limit public 
access to online gambling platforms and applications, all Internet Service Providers 
(ISPs), mobile telecommunications providers, digital applications, and similar 
platforms operating within the Philippines shall have the following obligations: 
a. Website Blocking – ISPs and mobile providers shall, upon order of the 
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the 
Department of Justice – Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC), block access to 
all local or foreign-based online gambling websites and platforms operating 
in violation of this Act or existing laws. 
b. Application Removal – Digital application distribution platforms, including 
application stores and mobile marketplaces, shall immediately remove or 
disable access to all gambling-related applications.   
c. Mandatory Response Period – All take-down, blocking, or removal requests 
issued by PAGCOR or the DOJ-OOC shall be acted upon within seventy-
two (72) hours from official receipt. Failure to comply within this period shall 
constitute a violation subject to enforcement under Section 6 of this Act. 
d. Reporting and Compliance Mechanism – All covered entities shall maintain 
a mechanism for regular reporting to PAGCOR detailing the number of 


blocked websites, removed applications, and pending takedown requests. 
Such reports shall be submitted on a quarterly basis or as required under 
the implementing rules and regulations. 
e. Penalties for Non-Compliance – Failure to comply with the obligations under 
this Section may result in administrative penalties including fines, 
suspension of licenses, and, where applicable, revocation of authority to 
operate digital or telecommunication services in the Philippines. 
 
SEC. 6. Penalties. – Any person, entity, gambling operator and digital payment 
systems found violating any provision of Sections 4 and 5 of this Act shall be subject 
to the following penalties to be imposed by the PAGCOR after due notice and hearing: 
a. First Offense – a fine of not less than Twenty Million Pesos 
(Php20,000,000.00) and suspension of license for six (6) months; 
b. Second Offense – a fine of not less than Fifty Million Pesos (50,000,000.00) 
or a suspension of license for one (1) year; and 
c. Third and Succeeding Offenses – aside from the administrative penalties 
of a fine of not less than One Hundred Million Pesos (Php100,000,000.00) 
and permanent revocation of its license or permit to operate that PAGCOR 
may impose, the offender may be subjected to criminal prosecution under 
this Act, and the Chief Operating Officer or President of the company shall 
be penalized with imprisonment of not more than six (6) years by the court. 
 
 
SEC. 7. PAGCOR as Lead Agency. – PAGCOR shall be the lead agency to 
effectively implement the provisions and purposes of this Act. Further, to complement 
regulatory efforts and mitigate the social and psychological harms of gambling, 
PAGCOR, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department 
of Health (DOH), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
shall implement the following programs: 
a. National Information and Awareness Campaigns – PAGCOR shall lead annual 
nationwide information campaigns focused on the risks of gambling addiction, 
particularly among minors and vulnerable populations. These campaigns shall 
utilize print, broadcast, and digital media, including social media platforms, to 
educate the public on the warning signs of gambling problems and promote 
responsible gambling behaviors. 


b. Curriculum Integration and Digital Literacy – The DepEd, in consultation with 
PAGCOR and relevant stakeholders, shall develop and integrate age-
appropriate digital literacy modules into the K–12 curriculum. These modules 
shall include content on the nature and risks of gambling, media and advertising 
literacy, and healthy online behaviors.  
c. Community-Based Counseling and Support Services – The DOH and the 
DSWD, in partnership with local government units (LGUs), shall establish and 
operate community-level hotlines, help centers, and referral systems for 
individuals and families affected by gambling addiction. These services shall 
be staffed by trained professionals and accessible free of charge to the public. 
d. Program Funding and Monitoring – PAGCOR shall allocate a portion of its 
annual gross revenues to support the development, implementation, and 
monitoring of the above-mentioned programs. An annual report on the status, 
reach, and impact of these initiatives shall be submitted to Congress by 
PAGCOR. 
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Philippine Amusement 
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), in coordination with the Department of 
Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Justice 
(DOJ), shall formulate and issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations 
within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in 
full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof that are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended, 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 


Approved,