Philippines studies more visible risk warnings in online casinos

Digital advertising returns to the center of the reform

Philippines debates how to make risk warnings more visible in digital advertising for casinos and online betting.

The online gambling advertising takes up space again in the Philippines regulatory agenda. The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2026 has started the process of public consultation to modify the Gambling Regulation Law and adapt the standard to a market marked by the internet, social networks and new recruitment channels.

The revision affects sensitive points of the game's promotion. Among them are the participation of celebrities and influencers in commercial campaigns , actions aimed at new users and the presence of operators in search results.

Within that review, the warnings about possible game damage They are once again a key piece. The discussion is no longer limited to repeating a known formula, but rather to assess whether the user receives a visible warning before interacting with a promotion.

At the moment, the reform is in an initial phase. Public consultation serves to collect input before drafting changes definitive, so it does not yet imply new obligations for operators or affiliates. What is relevant is that Consumption once again focuses on how risk warnings should be displayed within online gambling advertising.

Clearer warnings in digital advertising

The debate is whether the current notices are still useful to inform the user or if, because they appear briefly and repeatedly, they have lost some of their impact . In digital advertising, the commercial message usually competes with many other stimuli. If the warning remains in the background, its preventive function may be reduced.

In parallel, the gambling regulator has outlined a specific channel for these messages. The text sent to Brussels at the beginning of 2026 raises rules about presence, content and reading of warnings linked to gambling addiction and behaviors that can lead to gambling problems.

This text provides that commercial communications incorporate an express reference to the harmful effects of problem gambling or certain problematic behaviors. The proposal would replace the warning associated with playing responsibly provided for in Royal Decree 958/2026 for a more explicit warning. Additionally, it addresses size, location, contrast, and content.

The difference for the player would be in the first impression. Before registration or a promotion, you may encounter a clearer alert about the risk of losing money or develop problematic behavior. The idea is to prevent the preventive message from being hidden between commercial claims, eye-catching images or registration buttons.

Impact on operators, bonuses and affiliates

The possible change would touch a sensitive part of online casino marketing . Many advertising pieces seek immediate impact and lead the user to a new account. If the preventive notice gains weight, the designs would have to reorganize the space dedicated to the commercial message and the risk message.

Actions to attract new players would be one of the points with the greatest exposure to the reform. The communication of bonuses, offers or incentives would have to live with a perceptible warning that is difficult to ignore . This would force us to review the visual structure of advertisements, short videos, promotional pages and other media.

The reform would also reach affiliates and comparators. Websites that show operators, explain bonuses or link to gaming platforms would have to review how they incorporate risk messages into their content .

The notice would no longer be a secondary element, but rather a most visible part of the information that the user receives before deciding whether to enter a platform.

The Consultation will be open until June 22, 2026 and will allow receiving proposals from operators, associations, social entities and citizens. With this procedure, Consumption begins a preliminary phase to define the scope of the reform and specify the role of risk warnings in digital advertising.

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