TLDR
- Filipino lawmaker Eli San Fernando wants social media influencers who promote gambling websites to face legal accountability.
- He raised the issue during a House hearing on PAGCOR’s proposed 2027 budget.
- San Fernando wants influencers to face the same liability as gambling operators when ads break rules.
- PAGCOR chairman Alejandro Tengco confirmed a gambling operator tied to influencer Ivana Alawi was fined PHP1 million.
- The fine was issued over a phone giveaway promotion that skipped required responsible gambling disclaimers.
A Filipino lawmaker is pushing for social media influencers to be held legally responsible when their gambling promotions break advertising rules. Eli San Fernando, a Kamanggagawa Party-list Representative, raised the issue during a House hearing this week.
The hearing focused on the 2027 budget proposal for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, known as PAGCOR. San Fernando used the session to question PAGCOR’s leadership about gambling ads on social media.
He pointed out that many of these ads lack the responsible gambling disclaimers required under current rules. San Fernando said influencers and celebrities can have a strong pull on people who are struggling financially.
Call for Equal Liability
San Fernando asked PAGCOR to treat influencers the same way it treats gambling companies. If a promotion breaks the rules or causes harm, both the content creator and the operator should share the blame, he argued.
He described how the popularity of online gambling has hurt everyday Filipinos. Some minimum wage workers have pawned personal belongings just to cover gambling debts, he said.
San Fernando also warned that when famous personalities promote gambling sites, it can make betting look like an easy way to earn money. He said this is especially risky for families already under financial strain.
The lawmaker wants regulators to factor in how far an influencer’s reach extends when reviewing promotional content. He believes bigger followings should come with bigger responsibility.
PAGCOR’s Response and Enforcement Record
PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco responded by outlining actions the agency has already taken. He pointed to a case involving a gambling operator connected to actress and influencer Ivana Alawi.
That operator was fined PHP1 million, or about $16,200. The penalty came after a mobile phone giveaway promotion failed to follow responsible advertising rules.
Tengco said PAGCOR found the operator had broken the rules tied to that promotion. He added that repeat violations could lead to a full cancellation of the operator’s license.
The fine targeted the licensed gambling operator itself, not the influencer involved. San Fernando’s proposal would go further by placing legal responsibility directly on the influencers as well.
The hearing highlighted a gap between how operators and influencers are currently treated under the rules. Right now, enforcement action lands on the licensed businesses, not the people promoting them online.
San Fernando’s proposal ties gambling advertising directly to financial hardship among consumers. He argued that celebrity endorsements can shape how vulnerable people view the risks of gambling.
The discussion took place as lawmakers reviewed PAGCOR’s full 2027 budget request. San Fernando used the opportunity to press for stronger oversight of online promotional content.
Tengco’s testimony confirmed that PAGCOR already has enforcement tools in place for licensed operators. The open question raised in the hearing is whether those same tools should extend to the influencers themselves.
The review of PAGCOR’s budget and enforcement powers is ongoing. No final decision on extending liability to influencers was announced during the hearing.
