E-Wallets Really Make Gambling This Easy? Lawmakers Say No

E-wallets like GCash and Maya have changed the way Filipinos shop, pay bills, and send money. But now, some lawmakers are raising concerns over how easily these apps also open the door to online gambling.

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores is pushing for a new law that would stop e-wallets from linking directly to gambling apps. He’s not calling for a total ban just yet, but he wants tighter rules before things get worse. His main worry? The sheer convenience of topping up gambling accounts directly from e-wallets is making it far too easy for people, especially those with little to spare, to keep betting.

“You open your wallet app, and there’s a list of games where you can load money. That kind of accessibility makes it so easy to fall into the trap,” Flores said in a radio interview. And that trap, he adds, is costing some Filipinos more than just money.

In his own district, Flores says he’s seen it firsthand. Young people, workers, even family breadwinners, all lured into gambling. Some end up deep in debt. Others turn to theft. Families suffer.

What’s worse, he suspects that e-wallet platforms may be benefiting from it. “The more people load funds for gambling, the more these platforms earn,” he said. It’s a sharp observation, especially with how visible betting links are within some wallet apps, sometimes paired with options to borrow money, too.

To be clear, Flores isn’t against digital wallets. He actually supports the technology. What he’s against is how these apps are being used as gateways to gambling. He suggests one simple change to start: remove the links that make it so easy to access betting platforms from inside the apps.

“If someone really wants to gamble, fine — but don’t make it effortless,” he said.

Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano is taking an even tougher stance. He believes all permissions for online gambling should be revoked, and that agencies like PAGCOR and the Games and Amusements Board should stop issuing licenses for digital betting. He also urged the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to prohibit e-wallets from being used for gambling at all.

For many of us who appreciate the convenience of fintech, these warnings might seem harsh, but they do hit close to home. Gambling addiction is real, and if our financial tools are enabling it, maybe it’s time to ask the hard questions.

Personally, I don’t think gambling apps should be accessible within e-wallets at all. They’re supposed to help us manage money, not lose it.