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The group argues the real threat comes from unlicensed gambling operators.

Photo via PlaySafe Alliance

A total of 19 licensed operators have banded together to launch the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines, a coalition aimed at promoting responsible gambling, boosting player protections, and tackling illegal online platforms in the Southeast Asian country.

The alliance, led by DigiPlus Interactive, was announced last week amid calls from some policymakers and anti-gambling advocates to shut down the industry entirely. Critics argue that iGaming preys on vulnerable groups and can cause financial hardship, mental health issues, and crime.

PlaySafe spokesman Mike Defensor, president of World Platinum Technologies Inc. and also a former politician, acknowledged the risks of online gambling but said the real threat comes from unlicensed operators.

“The real enemy in the issue of online gambling is the illegal market. No licences, no control, minors can play, no taxes are being paid, and they don’t follow the rules. Instead of being protected, the public is put at risk,” Defensor said.

“Currently, it’s estimated that 70% of the online gambling market is illegal, while only 30% is legal, which complies with regulations and pays taxes. Therefore, strict regulations and focus on legal operators are crucial to ensure safe, responsible, and fair gaming for all,” he added.

PlaySafe Alliance pushes for education and regulation enforcement

PlaySafe Allaince of the Philippines spokesman Mike Defensor. Photo via KING.ph

The PlaySafe Alliance’s founding members, all licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), have committed to working closely with regulators to strengthen compliance, particularly in marketing and advertising practices.

They will also enhance know-your-customer (KYC) procedures such as age verification and self-exclusion programmes, develop strategies to combat illegal operators, and educate the public on the differences between regulated and unregulated gaming. The alliance also plans to invest in research, education, prevention, and treatment programmes, including a 24/7 national helpline.

Online gaming generated PHP114.83 billion ($2 billion) in the first half of 2025, an 82.7% year-on-year increase. Given this economic contribution, PAGCOR has rejected calls for a total ban. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also signalled his preference for stricter regulation over prohibition.

“The problem is not online gambling. The problems are the social effects on our children and those who are addicted to gambling,” Marcos Jr. said in a recent podcast. “The first effect of banning it fully is to put it underground, and then we have no control,” he added.

PAGCOR has already tightened advertising rules for iGaming platforms, signing an agreement in July with the Philippines Ad Standards Council to pre-screen all gambling-related ads before release. Starting Aug. 15, gambling ads will be banned from public spaces and prime-time television. Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) is finalizing new financial consumer protection rules, which include stricter identity verification, transaction limits, and player self-control mechanisms.

The PlaySafe Alliance’s long-term success will depend on its ability to strike a careful balance between the online gambling industry’s substantial economic benefits and the pressing responsibility to protect vulnerable communities in the Philippines, where esports and related betting also enjoy popularity. By bringing licensed operators together under a unified pledge, the coalition aims to demonstrate that a well-regulated iGaming sector can prosper without undermining public welfare.