In July, things seemed to be looking up for Filipinos with a passion for gambling, as a fresh survey at the time found that more than 50% of the 1,000 interviewed respondents were interested in using regulated and licensed sites for reasons of safety and legitimacy.
Now, a new study by sociocultural firm The Fourth Wall comes to water down the optimism, showing that many Filipinos who gamble online actually do not fully grasp the risks associated with using unregulated platforms, which makes them vulnerable to financial losses, scams, and underage access.
Only 12% of Respondents Understood the Risks
The research that surveyed 400 online gamblers in Mega Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao discovered that 55% of respondents were unaware of the legal implications of using illegal websites, while 33% said they knew only “a little.”
Just 12% felt the rules were clear. “Trust, not legality, drives player behavior,” explained John Brylle L. Bae, research director at The Fourth Wall.
“Confidence, fairness, and perceived profitability matter more than platform features. This explains why players, despite uncertainty and uneasiness, continue to engage with unregulated platforms as long as they perceive a chance to win.”
In August, another research by The Fourth Wall showed illegal gambling sites provided an average of 72% more games compared to regulated platforms.
Illegal Sites Attract Heavy Play
Unregulated platforms tended to attract heavier play, with 41% of respondents saying they gambled two to three times a week, and nearly a third played four or more times weekly. Bets ranged mostly from PHP 100 ($1.72) to PHP 499 ($8.58), but larger wagers of PHP 1,000 ($17.20) or more were placed almost exclusively on illegal sites.
Losses followed a similar pattern, with mid- to high-value losses in the lead, and major losses of PHP 5,000 ($86.01) or more occurred almost exclusively on unregulated platforms. About 41% of players said they quit mainly because of financial setbacks.
The study also grouped gamblers into four types, ranging from “high-stakes losers” who bet heavily but lost more than they won at 44% to “perceived winners” who felt their wins outweighed losses at 28%, “casual break-even players” who played lightly at 17%, and “regulated converts” who favored regulated platforms but still used unregulated sites at 11%.
What Attracts Players to Unregulated Platforms
Most respondents were between 26 and 45, characterized as lower-income earners and family-oriented, who treated gambling mainly as leisure.
Players were drawn to unregulated sites by their variety, fast transactions, ease of payment, and frequent promotions. Over 90% signed up with minimal verification, which often required only a phone number or email address, while 80% acknowledged the lack of betting limits, thereby putting vulnerable users at risk. Fairness certificates were often absent, and complaints frequently went unresolved.
Bae said policy should focus on making safer options more accessible, rather than penalizing players. The study recommended better communication of protections, reliable complaint systems, and responsibly designed promotions to encourage use of regulated platforms.