Despite mounting calls for stricter regulation and even a potential ban on online gaming, DigiPlus Interactive Corp. is staying the course, maintaining normal operations and reaffirming its commitment to regulatory compliance and corporate governance.
The publicly listed online gaming firm said it continues to serve over 40 million registered users, underscoring the commercial significance of the sector even as public sentiment increasingly scrutinizes the industry.
“Operationally, we are not affected. It’s the stock price that has been affected. Nothing has changed except hurt feelings,” DigiPlus chairman Eusebio Tanco said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting. “We follow all the rules and regulations. We are a listed company. We have good corporate governance. We report every single cent of our revenue. We pay all the taxes we need to pay.”
Tanco stressed the importance of striking a regulatory balance to prevent pushing legitimate operators out of the market and fueling illegal activity. “If you overregulate, the money migrates to the illegal. There’s a balance where you can regulate so that you attract the illegal to apply for licenses and operate legally,” he noted.
DigiPlus president Andy Tsui echoed this concern, particularly around a proposal to raise the minimum cash top-up requirement from as low as ₱20 to ₱10,000. “Certainly, there will be some impact, but we’re still analyzing it. If the minimum top-up is set too high, players may shift to the black market, which lacks safeguards like electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) protocols,” Tsui warned.
Industry data underscores DigiPlus’ perspective. According to Tanco, online gaming generates roughly ₱154 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR), accounting for 38 percent of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. ‘s (PAGCOR) total GGR. As of May, electronic gaming revenue reached ₱92 billion, comprising 53 percent of PAGCOR’s GGR. Tanco projected that legalizing currently unregulated operations could unlock ₱200–₱300 billion more in revenue.
“Seventy percent of the market remains unregulated and offers no consumer protection. That’s where the real issue lies,” he emphasized.
The company also addressed potential regulatory changes affecting payment channels. DigiPlus warned that banning direct links between e-wallets and gaming apps might not deter users. “Players will still find ways to access platforms—they’ll just go through search engines instead of e-wallets. Convenience will always find a path,” Tsui added.
In the face of increasing scrutiny, DigiPlus is positioning itself not as part of the problem but as a model for a well-regulated and commercially viable online gaming industry. Tanco concluded, “Gambling will not go away. The goal is to shift illegal activity into the legal space. That’s the only sustainable path forward.”
