Philippines bill would ban iGaming advertising across social media, TV, radio, and search

A bill filed in the Philippine parliament, No. 10982 or the Online Gambling Advertising Ban Act of 2026, would shut down most paid promotion for iGaming if it becomes law. For PSPs, operators, and affiliates, the practical issue is simple: the proposal targets the acquisition channels that keep online gambling traffic flowing.

1. The bill would ban iGaming advertising on social media, mobile apps, search engines, TV, radio, billboards, and in print media. It also bans promotion through influencers and affiliate programs, so the usual performance-marketing stack is directly in scope.
2. iGaming operators would be barred from financing sports events, concerts, and any other public events. That matters because event sponsorship is often one of the last visible brand channels left once paid media gets restricted.
3. The restriction would not apply to offline gambling verticals: lotteries, land-based casinos, horse racing, and licensed cockfighting. In other words, the draft draws a line between digital gambling promotion and the traditional gaming channels that remain outside the ban.
4. The sanctions are not symbolic. Operators would face fines of $8,000–160,000, license revocation, and prison terms of up to 3 years. Ambassadors and influencers would face confiscation of advertising fees and bans on sponsorship contracts for 3–5 years, while IT platforms and media outlets would face daily fines of up to $800 for hosting illegal ads.
5. The timing is awkward for the sector: in 2025, iGaming overtook land-based gambling for the first time, accounting for 50.8% of profit. If the bill passes, it would cut into operator revenue and state revenue at the same time, while also pushing more traffic toward the gray market.