DigiPlus Defends Online Gaming with Facts and Fairness

DigiPlus Defends Online Gaming with Facts and Fairness

Regulatory Heat and a Plea for Reason

DigiPlus Interactive Corp. is in the hot seat—and they’re not dodging the issue. As the operator behind well-known platforms like BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, the company is facing a wave of scrutiny fueled by congressional proposals targeting the online gaming industry. DigiPlus Defends Online Gaming

But instead of digging in or lashing out, DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio Tanco is asking for something simple yet powerful: fact-based dialogue.

“If there are new standards to meet, or better ways to protect players, we will act swiftly,” he said. “But please, do not condemn an industry—and 50,000 Filipino families—without hearing the facts.”

Not exactly a defensive tone. It’s a direct appeal to lawmakers: listen first, legislate with clarity.

Compliance Isn’t Just Talk—It’s Practice

According to DigiPlus, many of the safeguards being proposed—like Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols, age restrictions, self-exclusion features, and responsible gaming alerts—are already active across their platforms.

These weren’t just installed last week, either. They’ve been running since November 2024. That’s a significant timeframe for systemic integration.

DigiPlus says its operations are fully aligned with regulatory agencies like PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Every peso circulating on their platforms is taxed, audited, and remitted accordingly.

So when Tanco says, “Tell us what more we must do—and we will do it without hesitation,” he’s framing DigiPlus not just as compliant, but proactively responsive.

The subtext? This isn’t a fight to avoid regulation. It’s a call for precision—aim at the problem, not the solution.

Drawing the Line Between Legal and Rogue

Here’s where the conversation gets sharp.

DigiPlus argues that responsible operators like themselves are being lumped in with illegal sites that don’t follow laws, don’t pay taxes, and don’t offer protections to users.

Tanco’s frustration is palpable: “We stand licensed, audited, and transparent—yet we’re made to answer for the crimes of illegal operators.”

And this isn’t just a corporate complaint. DigiPlus highlights that the real social harms—underage gambling, financial exploitation, criminal activity—come from the unregulated market, not from platforms operating under legal oversight.

If this sounds like common sense, that’s the point.
Tanco’s message to lawmakers: regulate by evidence, not emotion.

The Human Cost of Blanket Policies DigiPlus Defends Online Gaming

If there’s one part of DigiPlus’ appeal that hits hardest, it’s the employment impact.

The company warns that sweeping bans or overly broad restrictions could put 50,000 jobs at risk—not just gamers or developers, but call center staff, housekeeping personnel, graphic designers, cybersecurity professionals, and more.

More than 3,000 direct employees work at DigiPlus alone. If licensed gaming gets outlawed or overburdened, entire local economies could feel it.

Tanco shared a sobering question:

“In every city, in every province, our people are asking—are we no longer welcome, even when we’ve done everything right?”

That sentiment reflects how digital platforms, while virtual, have very real consequences for Filipino workers and families.

Will Regulation Solve or Complicate the Problem?

According to DigiPlus, banning licensed platforms won’t end online gaming—it’ll simply push users toward illegal alternatives, where there are no KYC systems, no responsible gaming prompts, and absolutely no accountability.

This is the digital equivalent of shuttering pharmacies while leaving street vendors to sell fake medicine.

Tanco’s argument is clear: support what’s working, dismantle what’s harmful. Don’t throw the entire industry off a cliff because a few bad actors climbed over the fence.

Regulation by Facts, Not Fear

The tone from DigiPlus isn’t defensive—it’s deliberate. They’re not asking to be exempt from scrutiny. They’re asking to be assessed fairly, based on actual implementation, platform data, and financial transparency.

“We are not asking for special treatment,” they reiterated. “We are asking to be judged by our actions—not by perception, or by association with those who break the law.”

That’s a reasonable position. And it reframes the larger debate: how can the Philippines regulate online gaming in ways that are smart, enforceable, and economically stable?

In a time when misinformation spreads faster than facts, DigiPlus is asking lawmakers to slow down, study the data, and remember that behind every platform are thousands of Filipino lives.