Senate Deputy Minority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Thursday lauded the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for its move to tighten regulations on payment service providers (PSPs) linked to online gambling operators, saying the initiative “strikes at the root” of a growing social problem plaguing Filipino families.

Zubiri said the BSP’s proposed circular marks a decisive shift from financial regulators and shows alignment with the urgent calls from lawmakers to curb the proliferation of online betting platforms.

“I applaud the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on its decisive move to enforce tighter restrictions on payment service providers engaged in online gambling payment services,” Zubiri told reporters in a Viber message. 

“This BSP circular strengthens our move to lessen, if not eliminate, the accessibility of online gambling to the average Filipino,” he added. 

Transaction caps, limited access

Under the proposed BSP guidelines, PSPs will be prohibited from providing links to online gambling websites, aligning with earlier BSP directives that required e-wallet o

The circular also introduces stricter controls, including a daily transaction cap of 20 percent of an account’s average daily balance and a limited six-hour transaction window for gambling-related payments. Any transactions that breach these limits must be automatically declined by PSPs.

For Zubiri, these restrictions send a clear signal that the central bank is serious about disrupting the convenience that has fueled the rise of online betting. 

He explained that gambling addiction thrives on easy access, and unless the government intervenes at this level, enforcement and education campaigns will always be playing catch-up.

“Accessibility really is the root cause for our country’s online gambling problem. Kahit sino basta may smart phone, internet connection at konting pera, puwede nang magsugal kahit saan, kahit kailan,” he said, citing rising cases of debt, broken families, and criminal activity linked to gambling addiction.

Zubiri, who has filed the Anti-Online Gambling Bill seeking a total ban on all forms of online gambling, said the BSP’s regulatory actions are a crucial step toward disrupting the financial ecosystem that enables these platforms to thrive.

While his proposed legislation envisions a hardline approach, the senator acknowledged that immediate regulatory interventions — such as the BSP's — can begin delivering relief even before a national law is passed.

“If we cut the problem at the root, if we make online gambling sites less accessible, then we will be saving a lot of people from a lot of trouble,” he noted. 

A social menace

The senator emphasized that the online gambling issue goes beyond economic concerns, calling it a “social menace” that exploits vulnerable Filipinos in the absence of strong regulation.

He warned that continued inaction will only embolden illegal operators and syndicates to adapt and exploit legal loopholes.

Zubiri urged other government agencies to follow the BSP’s lead and adopt firm, coordinated actions to combat the spread of online gambling.