Listed gaming technology firm DFNN, Inc. has urged lawmakers to apply proposed online gambling reforms with “proportionality and precision,” warning that sweeping restrictions could drive low-income Filipinos toward unregulated, offshore gambling sites.

In a disclosure on Monday, the company cautioned that poorly calibrated policies such as high cash-in requirements or blanket restrictions across different gaming formats may backfire and undermine the very protections the bill seeks to achieve.

“Well-intended restrictions, if not carefully calibrated across distinct gaming formats, may unintentionally create incentives for certain segments of the population, particularly casual or lower-income players, to seek alternatives from unlicensed or offshore platforms,” DFNN said.

The company was responding to a Senate bill filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that proposes raising the minimum gambling age to 21 and increasing minimum cash-in and top-up thresholds to P10,000 and P5,000, respectively.

While DFNN supports stronger consumer safeguards, it stressed that its licensed, community-based gaming outlets already operate under stringent compliance protocols, including national ID-grade facial recognition, face-to-face KYC, and age restrictions aligned with government rules.

“These community-based outlets provide secure, supervised environments for responsible gaming, and continue to generate meaningful economic benefits such as job creation, local business partnerships, and direct fiscal contributions to their host communities,” the company said.

Despite the warning, DFNN said it remains committed to working with regulators and lawmakers to promote responsible gaming while protecting the viability of legitimate, locally embedded operators.