Gambling is a topic that keeps making it to the headlines. Recently, PAGCOR, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, ordered all gambling operators to remove all out-of-home ads by August 15, 2025. This includes both billboards and taxi decals. For ad placement approval, operators have to submit inventories of existing placements to the Ad Standards Council by July 16. Inappropriate advertising has raised concerns about alluring younger generations and vulnerable groups of people. Therefore, only institutional or responsible gaming adverts are going to be allowed in public spaces.
For genuine enthusiasts, however, reduced visibility won’t end the pastime, especially online. Players who prefer strategy over pure chance can still enjoy classic tile play on dedicated, skill-based sites such as mahjong365.com, where the focus remains squarely on traditional mahjong rather than casino staples like slots or roulette. Because mahjong is regulated differently from games of chance, platforms of this kind remain accessible even as broader gambling ads disappear, giving fans a compliant, culturally rooted way to keep playing.
For people genuinely interested in gambling, however, the lack of advertising will pose only a small obstacle. Players could easily look for other providers. Many online providers, including mahjong365.com, offer registration without identity verification. Furthermore, many online casinos are subject to different regulations. This allows players to pursue their hobby without fear of violating regulations. Such platforms offer a welcome alternative for those who do not want to give up gambling despite the increasing regulations in the Philippines.
The ban on out-of-home ads, however, isn’t the only blow to the Philippine gambling market, but follows a greater effort to implement stricter gambling regulations. The Senate also agrees that the use of e-wallets must be better regulated to minimize online gambling. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has urged e-wallet providers not to accept betting transactions, as these payment methods encourage gambling. The “Kontra E Sugal” bill was introduced by Senator Risa Hontiveros to prevent the use of both e-wallets and super apps for betting activities. This is to “safeguard Filipinos from the harmful effects of online gambling,” she said. It also proposes to introduce age restrictions and loss limits. A portion of the tax revenue from the gambling sector will also be used to address unhealthy gambling activities.
However, gambling is a valuable source of tax revenue for the government. Tightened regulations that curb local gambling could deprive the country of important tax revenue. This could have a lasting impact on the economy, affecting not only gambling operators. The ad ban could result in not only traditional casinos but also their advertising partners losing visibility and customers. Billboard operators, transportation companies, and advertisers who increase their revenue through advertising displays could also lose significant amounts of money.
Online gambling platforms operating outside the Philippine borders, however, could see an increase in users. A report by BusinessWorld raises concerns: While the “Kontra E Sugal” bill requires e-gaming platforms to pay 10% of taxes from gambling to support social programs, offshore operators could easily evade such obligations. With increased regulations, the likelihood increases that players will look less for domestic options and more for offshore options.
This outlook is daunting for the Philippines’ economy. “I fully support stricter regulations—smarter, tighter controls to protect citizens and maximize public benefit. But outright bans only make matters worse,” Negros Occidental Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez was cited in a Facebook post by Premier News Ventures. The gambling sector is a strong driver for the Philippine government, since the tax revenue gained from the sector is funding valuable government projects. Additionally, the new regulations could hurt the Philippines’ citizens. According to Benitez, 40,000 Filipinos work in legal online gambling businesses. This includes both operators and employees. Banning these operations would leave all of them without a job or income.
The Philippines is at a critical juncture. Regulations are intended to protect the common good, but the question arises as to whether these regulations will do more harm than good if residents not only face restrictions on their private hobbies but also fear financial hardship.