The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) should take immediate action against the proliferation of online gambling by ordering e-wallet providers to remove all links and icons that redirect users to e-gambling platforms, said Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday. 

Speaking during a Senate public hearing on proposed legislation to ban or regulate e-gambling, Marcoleta urged the BSP to exercise its regulatory authority to curb what he described as the growing social threat posed by online gambling.

“The BSP should issue a suspension order to e-wallet platforms, to deny links to all these online game platforms para wala na pong pag-uusapan (so that there will be no discussion anymore). Can the BSP do that?,” he said. 

Responding to the senator’s call, BSP Deputy Governor  Mamerto Tangonan confirmed that the Monetary Board had already approved a policy mandating BSP-supervised financial institutions to remove all icons and hyperlinks that lead to online gambling sites. 

Marcoleta emphasized the need for stronger regulatory oversight and cooperation between financial regulators, law enforcement, and digital service providers to protect vulnerable sectors of society from the adverse effects of online gambling.

He described e-gambling as a “social ogre” spawned by the breakdown in control, supervision, and scrutiny by government regulators.