A senior Philippine lawmaker has joined calls for a complete ban of online gambling in that nation, by filing his own bill on the topic.
Senator Christopher Go – known popularly as ‘Bong Go’ – filed on Wednesday Senate Bill No. 686, also known as the ‘Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025’.
It would criminalise all aspects of Internet betting, with prison terms of up to six months or a fine of up to PHP500,000 (about US$8,736) for even placing bets. There would be prison time of up to five years plus a PHP500,000 fine, for any officials of corporations or associations found guilty of breaking the law as proposed.
“The social cost has grown too big and too deep,” Mr Go was cited as saying by the Daily Tribune news outlet, reporting the development.
Mr Go described online gambling as a rising threat that “preys on the vulnerable, erodes family values, and poses risks to financial integrity”. The licensed online sector in the Philippines is currently only open to locals.
His bill seeks to ban all forms of online gambling – including placing, receiving, or transmitting bets via the Internet – and imposes prison terms ranging from one to six months, or fines from PHP100,000 to PHP500,000 for violators.
Public officials promoting online gambling would face the maximum penalty, as well as dismissal from service and permanent disqualification from public office.
The bill would also repeal existing laws and regulations that authorise or regulate online gambling.
The Philippine leader, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, is said to be reviewing calls for a total ban on the online gambling sector in the country, according to remarks on Tuesday by undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office, Claire Castro.
Alejandro Tengco, chairman and chief executive of Pagcor, had said last week that licensed online play raised circa US$1.8 billion annually for the public coffers in the Philippines.
Philippine-listed licensed online gaming operator DigiPlus Interactive Corp – a leading provider of online products licensed by the country’s regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) – had said in its own Wednesday statement, that banning the online sector “merely shifts users to unregulated black markets where there are no protections, no taxes, and no accountability”.
DigiPlus shares were down nearly 30 percent on Thursday to close at PHP19.54. Prior to the start of Friday trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange, the shares were down circa 70 percent from a 52-week high of PHP65.30 on June 11.
DigiPlus made a Thursday statement to the bourse, following an enquiry from exchange authorities about the fluctuation in the firm’s share price.
The firm said it “attributes this to market speculation following the filing of the Online Gambling Regulatory Bill and Online Gambling Prohibition Bills at the Senate and House of Representatives since 30 June 2025.
“We highlight that the bills are still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not been enacted into law.”
The company added: “DigiPlus remains fully operational and committed to delivering value to our customers and shareholders. We continue to conduct business as usual and remain confident in the long-term growth potential of the company.”
