Rep. Garcia files bill to ban all online gambling ads

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What happened

Rep. Garcia has filed a bill in the Philippine House of Representatives seeking a blanket ban on online gambling advertising and promotions. The bill targets all above-the-line channels, digital and broadcast. It follows the earlier momentum of the Escudero bill in the Senate and comes after months of PAGCOR enforcement actions directed at unlicensed and aggressive marketing practices.

This is not a regulatory tweak. It is a proposed categorical prohibition. If enacted, licensed Philippine operators, including PAGCOR licensees and POGOs or their successors, would lose every paid acquisition channel simultaneously.

Why it matters

The Philippine legislative environment around gambling has been tightening for over a year. This bill represents the hardest public position filed so far. A blanket advertising ban would affect licensed operators far more than unlicensed ones, who already ignore existing rules. That asymmetry is a structural problem the bill does not appear to address.

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Sources: Google News

About the supporter of this brief

WOMO is a network of 4,000+ affiliates and micro-influencers across Southeast Asia, built by Digirockstars. It connects iGaming, fintech and tech brands with local partners who reach the players and users they want.

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