Many Filipinos love using their phones for online games and apps, but not all of these are safe. Senator Erwin Tulfo is warning everyone that online gambling is becoming a big problem. Even the Department of Health (DOH) says gambling is now a health concern, because it can make people lose money, get addicted, and hurt families.
Tulfo explained that even though some e-wallet apps like GCash and Maya already stopped letting people use their apps for gambling, other tricks are being used. Gambling companies are now moving to apps like Viber, Telegram, Lazada, and other online shops, where people can still buy game vouchers and play.
He said the fight is not yet over. Tulfo wants all online platforms—not just e-wallets—to join forces with the government to stop gambling from being so easy to access.
“We are not enemies. We must be partners. If we work together, we can protect the next generation of Filipinos from becoming gambling addicts,” Tulfo said firmly.
Recently, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) gave companies 48 hours to cut off gambling connections. GCash and Maya followed right away, and Tulfo praised them for helping. He said this shows that the business sector is willing to fight the problem together with the government.
But not everyone agrees. The PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines, a group of gambling operators, said that the real problem comes from illegal and unlicensed sites. These are the ones letting kids play, making people bet too much, and causing money problems.
PlaySafe said that legal operators are different—they have rules, age checks, and responsible gaming systems to protect players.
The group also said:
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“When gambling is legal and regulated, players are protected. But when it’s illegal, that’s when the danger grows.”
This issue is becoming a serious battle in the Philippines: on one side, the government and companies trying to stop addiction, and on the other, the shadow of illegal gambling that keeps finding new ways to survive.
