The clock is ticking for the country’s biggest e-wallets—48 hours to cut all ties with online gambling or face a political firestorm.
In a heated Senate hearing Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) dropped the hammer: every gambling icon, banner, and shortcut in popular e-wallet apps must be gone—fast.
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan told senators the order was issued today and must be completed by Sunday. “We are directing BSP-supervised institutions to take down and remove all icons and links to gambling sites,” Tangonan declared.
But Senate Games and Amusement Committee Chair Erwin Tulfo wasn’t buying the wait. Slamming the table, Tulfo warned: “Don’t test this committee. We have a crisis. If there are still gambling games in your apps by Sunday morning—you’re in contempt!”
Lawmakers are furious that Filipinos can gamble with just a few taps, accusing e-wallets of becoming “gateways” to addiction and debt. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano grilled officials, asking why the purge needs two days when it could be done instantly.
The crackdown is part of an all-out war on online gambling, which has been linked to rising crime, ruined lives, and a surge in illegal betting.
By Sunday morning, it’s game over for gambling in e-wallets—or the BSP and fintech giants could find themselves in the hottest seat in the Senate.