Philippines to make stricter limits on online gambling payments

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to roll out new regulations requiring banks, e-wallets, and other financial institutions to strengthen safeguards against online gambling.

Announced on 7 August 2025, the measures will mandate enhanced identity checks, including biometric verification such as facial recognition, to ensure that only eligible users can fund gambling activities.

The BSP also plans to introduce daily limits on gambling-related transfers and time-based restrictions on gambling payments. Financial service providers will be required to offer tools that let users set personal spending caps, take voluntary breaks, or self-exclude from gambling transactions entirely.

According to the central bank, these steps aim to curb addiction, prevent fraud, and minimize financial harm, while promoting responsible use of digital financial services.

The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of the gambling industry in the Philippines, following allegations that 34 missing cockfighters were buried in the lake near Taal Volcano. Cockfighting, a popular but controversial activity in the country, involves betting on rooster fights.