Philippine House Bill 10982 Seeks Nationwide Prohibition on Online Gambling Advertising Across All Platforms

Philippine lawmaker Cebu 3rd District Rep. Karen Hope Garcia has filed House Bill No. 10982, the proposed Online Gambling Advertising Prohibition Act of 2026. Submitted on August 26, the bill would impose a nationwide ban on online gambling advertising, promotions, endorsements and sponsorships. It targets exposure of young people and financially vulnerable individuals to such marketing while leaving regulated land-based activities untouched.

Scope of the Proposed Ban

The legislation would apply to television, radio, print, billboards, social media, websites and mobile applications, as well as search-engine and targeted advertising, email and SMS marketing. Promotions by influencers, content creators, affiliate marketers, celebrities and vloggers would be prohibited, alongside sponsorships involving sports, concerts and other events. Bonuses, free bets, referral codes and cross-promotion of land-based products sharing a brand with an online operator would also be banned.

The proposal would not make regulated gambling illegal. Authorized casinos, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lotteries and sweepstakes, horse racing and licensed cockfighting would remain permitted. Advertising for those non-online activities would stay allowed subject to responsible gaming advisories and content standards. News reporting, academic discussions and government communications would be exempt. The bill would tighten age and identity verification requirements for online gambling accounts.

Penalties, Rationale and Parallel Measures

Violators could face fines ranging from P500,000 ($7,998) to P10 million ($159,685), suspension or cancellation of licenses, and imprisonment of up to three years. Social media platforms, media companies, advertising technology firms, internet service providers and other entities could face fines of P50,000 per day for non-compliance and possible license revocation. Public figures who endorse online gambling could be required to disgorge payments received and be barred from making such endorsements for three to five years.

Garcia said the measure is intended to limit the exposure of young people and financially vulnerable individuals to gambling marketing. “This bill tells the industry it (online gambling) can’t chase our children and our vulnerable families into their own homes to sell them on it,” Garcia said. “Nobody asked for a casino on their phone, open twenty-four hours a day. It got there through an ad on a livestream, a bonus code passed around on social media, a famous influencer telling our youth that the odds are in their favor,” she added.

Garcia cited Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation data showing electronic and online gaming generated P201.12 billion ($3.36 billion) in gross gaming revenue in 2025, representing 50.77 percent of the Philippine gaming industry’s P396.14 billion ($6.34 billion) total. The bill also cites the World Health Organization’s 2024 fact sheet describing gambling disorder as a “health-harming addictive behavior” exacerbated by commercialization and digitalization.

This proposal joins Senate Bill No. 2347 filed by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero seeking a nationwide ban on gambling-related advertisements and sponsorships, as reported by Yogonet International.

Legislative Trajectory Ahead

The bill’s focus on digital channels where online gaming surpassed traditional casinos in revenue share for the first time in 2025 frames a targeted approach to harm reduction without eliminating licensed operations. Regulators and operators will track whether parallel measures in the 20th Congress produce tighter advertising standards that reshape customer acquisition while preserving exemptions for news, academic and government content.

Reporting: Yogonet International

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