The central bank's order
On 14 August 2025 the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas issued Memorandum M-2025-029, giving e-wallets and other supervised institutions 48 hours to remove in-app betting icons and links. GCash and Maya disabled their gaming features on the evening of 16 August, and users were told to move funds out of linked gaming accounts first.
The order covers links inside the apps. A separate question, whether e-wallets may fund online bets at all, was left to further policy work with PAGCOR.
Proposals in Congress
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed a bill to ban e-wallet funding of online bets, tighten KYC checks and set a minimum deposit. PAGCOR said the decision is for lawmakers, and its chair Alejandro Tengco publicly backed the main measures. Other lawmakers and groups, including Akbayan, raised the harm to low-income households.
What it means for players
- Expect fewer e-wallet routes and more questions about where deposits come from.
- Verify your account before you play; see why casinos ask for ID.
- Offshore casinos are outside these rules and outside PAGCOR's protection.
Online casinos are legal in the Philippines only under a PAGCOR licence, and players must be 21 or older.