Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Mobile wallet giant GCash is tightening its rules on online gambling promotions on its platform as the booming sector faces increasing public and regulatory scrutiny.
In a July 11 letter to GCash partner merchants seen by the Inquirer, the company said it would implement new advertising guidelines covering third quarter promotional assets on its GLife platform, its one-stop marketplace featuring food, travel, retail, lifestyle, among others.
GCash said the updates are meant to establish “responsible promotions on our platform.”
READ: One click away: PH grapples with online gambling boom – and doom
“These changes are designed to promote safer gaming practices and ensure that GCash and partner merchants remain compliant with the laws and regulations,” it said.
Click-activated
Some of the key updates include implementing enhanced security measures that activate when users click on key visuals—or promotional images or assets displayed on GLife.
The revisions would cover all GLife promotional assets, such as pop-ups, banners and headers.
The updates will take effect today.
“We recognize these changes are introduced mid-campaign and appreciate your understanding and cooperation,” it said in the letter.
GCash stressed that this move shows that the group is “proactively implementing these new guidelines in line with the pronouncement of Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) on advertisements.”
Church leaders—as individuals and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines—and a growing number of lawmakers have criticized the proliferation of online gambling, noting the risk of addiction and financial ruin among families.
Billboards, TV ads
On Tuesday, the FinTech Alliance PH, an association of digital finance companies that includes GCash as a member, issued a statement urging the government to implement stricter regulations on online gaming platforms.
To “protect the welfare of Filipino consumers,” the group cited the following proposals: enhanced due diligence for merchant accounts, strict compliance with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) regulations on payment channels, and the monitoring and blacklisting of illegal sites.
Also in response to the clamor, Pagcor last week ordered the operators of online gaming platforms to take down their billboards and other gambling-related out-of-home advertisements.
BSP initiatives
Pagcor also banned the airing of TV ads on gambling during prime time.
On Monday, the BSP floated the idea of limiting the use of digital payment platforms for online gambling.
The BSP said it was already in discussion with stakeholders on a draft circular that pushes to add rules on online gambling transactions.
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Under the proposal, the BSP is looking at setting a daily cap on fund transfers to online gaming accounts. It may also require payment service providers to limit the processing of these transactions to no longer than six hours. /cb
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