BSP chief Remolona wants online gambling beyond reach of ayuda beneficiaries

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. on Monday called for measures that will prevent beneficiaries of government financial aid or ayuda from gambling online.

Remolona also called for stricter implementation of know-your-customer (KYC) rules among online gaming platforms.

He said it should be more difficult to access online gambling platforms, given their social impact of the industry, which the Department of Health (DOH) has flagged as a “public health concern.”

“We basically want sand in the wheels. You can’t just go to your phone and then press one icon and you’re in a gambling site. You want it to be more difficult,” he said in a panel during the EJAP Economic Forum 2025 in Manila City.

“No one who receives ayuda, I think, should be allowed to gamble. Gambling leads to social harm. It’s not just harming the individual, it’s harming his family or her family,” he added.

The BSP last week said it is finalizing new rules for banks, e-wallets, and other financial service providers regarding gambling, including biometric checks and daily limits on related transfers.

The central bank earlier released a draft circular, which previously required payment service providers (PSPs) to create a facility that would allow users to create a separate online gambling transaction action (OGTA), which would then be placed under stricter rules in a bid to protect clients from risks associated with the industry.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has said he would study calls to ban online gambling. –NB, GMA Integrated News