Facing the increasingly high calls for a comprehensive ban on online gambling within the Philippines, local gambling law expert Marie Antonette Quiogue calls for rational legislation, emphasizing that "banning gambling is not the solution," and advocates for intelligent regulation to combat illegal operators while preserving and strengthening the legal gambling system.
Quiogue is the founder and CEO of Arden Consult, and has long studied gambling legislation. She recently published an article titled "Total Ban or Intelligent Regulation" at the Berlin International Gaming Advisors Association, systematically analyzing the misunderstandings and governance dilemmas faced by Philippine online gambling. She points out that public criticism of gambling is often based on confusing POGO (offshore gambling) with PIGO (local legal gambling platforms), leading to misplaced policy focus and impacting legal businesses as well.
She emphasizes that illegal platforms are the core of the problem, as these platforms evade regulation, do not pay taxes, lack player protection mechanisms, and are often linked to money laundering, fraud, and other crimes. In contrast, PIGO platforms operate in compliance under PAGCOR supervision, and in the first quarter of 2025, online gambling revenue accounted for more than half of the national gambling industry's revenue, bringing in significant tax revenue.
Quiogue calls on the government to strengthen the scrutiny powers over related service providers, ISPs, and payment channels, and to increase penalties for bypassing KYC and excessive marketing practices. She also warns that some legislation tends to view ordinary players as "potential criminals," which can easily harm the public and instead allow real criminals to hide underground.
She states: "Rampant illegal gambling is not because the platforms exist, but because regulation is inadequate. Instead of groping in the dark, it is better to illuminate the shadows with sunlight." She firmly believes that the key to rebuilding trust and order is the enforcement of existing laws, rather than a blanket ban on the entire industry.
