The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has ordered e-wallet providers, including GCash and Maya, to remove links and icons to online gambling platforms within 48 hours.

BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan announced the directive during the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing on Thursday, saying the Monetary Board had approved the policy. Senate panel chair Erwin Tulfo cautioned that providers who fail to comply may face contempt proceedings.

The order follows ongoing discussions on how to tighten safeguards for financial services connected to gambling transactions. BSP officials said the central bank is finalizing additional measures, including biometric verification, spending limits, and the use of separate accounts for gambling-related funds.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has long advocated cutting e-wallet ties to online gambling, reiterated during the hearing that allowing direct access through financial apps makes gambling more accessible and potentially harmful, particularly to minors.

The BSP’s move comes amid broader debates on regulating—rather than banning—online gambling. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently warned that a blanket ban could push operations underground, making them harder to monitor and control.

E-wallet providers now have until the weekend to comply with the removal of access points to gambling sites, though the BSP has not yet disclosed how compliance will be monitored after the 48-hour period.

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