GCash, Maya to suspend gaming access starting Aug. 16
MANILA, Philippines—Access to online gaming through e-wallet platforms GCash and Maya will be suspended starting 8 p.m. Saturday, August 16.
GCash announced the move Thursday evening, saying it would fully comply with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) directive to suspend in-app gaming access in mobile payment apps and websites.
According to the company, users may withdraw funds from their gaming accounts back to their GCash wallets through GLife only before the suspension takes effect.
“After this, users who have remaining funds can only access this directly through the gaming merchant’s website,” it said.
Maya, in a separate advisory, said it would also disable access to gaming sites and apps through its Games feature at the same time in compliance with the BSP order.
Customers may withdraw remaining funds from linked gaming accounts back to their Maya Wallet via the Games feature before the deadline. After that, withdrawals may be done only through the gaming provider’s website or app.
“We will always safeguard our customers and ensure uninterrupted availability of all our financial services,” Maya said. “Maya will continue working closely with regulators and industry partners to uphold the highest standards of consumer protection and full compliance with all regulations.”
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan told the Senate committee on games and amusement earlier Thursday that e-wallet platforms were specifically ordered to remove in-app features promoting or allowing users to access e-gambling sites within 48 hours.
Covered by the directive are e-wallets, banks (through their payment apps and websites), and other supervised entities. The country’s biggest e-wallets are GCash, owned by Globe Telecom, and Maya, formerly PayMaya, which also operates as a BSP-supervised digital bank.
GCash said it supports “adopting stronger safeguards on online gaming” and will continue to work with regulators and industry partners “to protect the financial health of Filipinos.”
Some senators questioned the 48-hour grace period, pressing for immediate removal of the links. Tangonan said the grace period would allow e-wallets to remove the links and give consumers time to withdraw their gaming funds.
Committee chair Sen. Erwin Tulfo warned he would cite the BSP in contempt if the links remained beyond Saturday.
The suspension will remain in effect until the BSP finalizes its policy on online gambling payment services.
The BSP said it is crafting tighter payment regulations to curb gambling addiction, including enhanced identity verification, daily transaction limits, time-based restrictions, and user tools for setting spending caps or taking voluntary breaks from gambling.
Separately, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has ordered the removal of all outdoor advertisements for online gaming platforms.
Pagcor reported that the country’s gaming industry earned P214.75 billion in gross gaming revenues in the first half of 2025, with the electronic games sector accounting for more than half.
Several senators have called for a total ban on online gambling, citing addiction and other negative effects on Filipinos. /dm
