Consumer and advocacy groups are urging the government to adopt technology-driven methods to combat illegal electronic gambling, cautioning that a complete ban on online gaming could push legitimate platforms underground and beyond regulatory reach.

In a joint statement, Bantay Konsyumer, Kalsada, Kuryente (BK3) and Konsyumer at Mamamayan (KM) stressed the need for stronger digital regulation supported by advanced governance tools.

They argued that blanket prohibitions could lead to more harmful and untraceable underground gambling activities.

"Public concerns about the dangers of gambling are valid," said Atty. Karry Sison, BK3 Convenor. "But banning online gambling outright won’t solve the problem. Many of these sites operate offshore and beyond the reach of our laws, continuing to spread harmful software and steal user data."

Sison acknowledged government efforts to block thousands of illegal gambling websites but noted the persistent re-emergence of these platforms under new domains and hosted on offshore servers.

"You shut one site today and another one replaces it tomorrow. We need smarter systems that proactively detect and stop these operations before they reach consumers. This is not just a gambling issue — it’s a cybersecurity issue," she said.

Both BK3 and KM expressed concern that unregulated gambling sites could become gateways to fraud, exploitation and other criminal activity due to a lack of oversight.

They contended that banning regulated platforms would not eliminate the risks but rather shift them to more hidden and less manageable spaces.

KM Convenor Danilo Lorenzo Delos Santos also highlighted the potential of digital financial tools, particularly e-wallets, in tracking and disrupting suspicious behavior linked to online gambling.

"E-wallets are used by millions of Filipinos every day," Delos Santos said. "With the proper regulatory framework, these tools can identify red flags like frequent betting, underage users, or unusual account activity. Technology can empower our regulators to respond faster and more effectively."

The advocacy groups are calling on lawmakers to reassess proposed legislation that seeks to completely outlaw online gambling.

Instead, they recommend focusing on implementing a high-tech, data-informed regulatory framework to address the problem at its roots.