Manila, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) announced on Wednesday the permanent cessation of Real Money Gambling (RMG) advertisements on social media platform TikTok, starting tomorrow, August 22.
According to DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, the video-platform giant voluntarily took the exit of gambling ads, a direct response and affirmation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the current administration’s actions toward digital safety efforts.
This follows the trail of various online gambling ads regulation in July, where outdoor gambling ads such as billboards, vehicles, and other out-of-home ads were first to be mandated out. In the same month, Meta also ordered the deletion of over 20 influencers and celebrities whose pages promoted online gambling, in accordance with Digital Pinoys and the Philippines’ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)’s rule out.
Prior to the numerous takedowns, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Ad Standards Council (ASC) have already ordered the regularisation of online gambling advertisements. While regularisations have played out in place before, PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, in the same report, highlighted the need to review such agreements in order to implement stricter rules and regulations.
Earlier this month, e-wallet companies GCash and Maya also complied with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’s mandate to suspend in-app gaming access to mobile payment apps. Since Sunday, August 17, e-wallets are no longer linked to any online gambling apps.
It can be remembered that RMG ads increasingly appeared on social media platforms in recent months, via online casinos, betting apps, and other gambling-related services.
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