Philippines Orders Immediate Removal of Gambling Ads Amid Rising Addiction Concerns

The Philippines' gaming regulator, Pagcor, has ordered the removal of all gambling advertisements by August 15 to address concerns over growing betting addiction. The move comes amid an online gaming boom and calls for stricter regulation of the sector. Online gaming revenue has surpassed that of integrated resort casinos this year, sparking concerns about social problems. The central bank is considering limits to gaming access via digital platforms.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has mandated the removal of all gambling-related outdoor advertisements (OOH) by August 15, 2025, in response to growing concerns over betting addiction. The directive, issued on July 7, 2025, covers both static and digital billboards, as well as advertisements on public transport vehicles.

Pagcor has given licensees, suppliers, and gaming venue operators until August 15 to comply with the new directive. The order requires licensees to submit an inventory of all billboard and wallscape ads by July 16, 2025, detailing their size, location, material type, rental expiry, and corresponding ASC number. A report on the status of removal must be filed using Pagcor’s prescribed template. Replacement ads are only allowed if they are for institutional or responsible gaming purposes and with prior approval from Pagcor.

The move comes amid an unprecedented boom in online gambling, which has raised concerns about social problems. Online gaming revenue surpassed that of integrated resort casinos this year for the first time in the Philippines, Asia’s second-largest gambling hub after Macau [2]. The central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), is considering limits to gaming access via digital platforms to address these concerns.

The sweeping ban on gambling-related outdoor advertising marks a significant tightening of public visibility rules for the gaming sector, signaling a shift toward more tightly controlled promotional practices. Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco stated that regulating excessive and pervasive gambling advertisements is a critical step in protecting vulnerable sectors of society, especially the youth [2].

The BSP has also announced plans to issue a circular requiring e-wallets to restrict access to online gambling. The central bank is taking a collaborative approach to ensure the final policy balances consumer protection and digital payment access for licensed businesses [3].

The article's references are as follows:
1. [1] https://insiderph.com/pagcor-orders-takedown-of-all-gambling-billboards-by-august-15
2. [2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-11/philippines-orders-removal-of-gambling-ads-amid-addiction-fears
3. [3] https://newsbytes.ph/2025/07/05/bsp-set-to-issue-circular-requiring-e-wallets-to-restrict-access-to-online-gambling/