Pasig City issues ordinance banning all gambling advertisements and promotions
Summary
Pasig City has passed Ordinance No.26, which bans all public-space and out-of-home (OOH) gambling advertisements and promotions within its jurisdiction. The prohibition covers billboards, transit ads on local public utility vehicles (PUVs) such as tricycles and pedicabs, PUV terminals, building wraps, posters, LED screens, leaflets, brochures, flyers and other street-level printed media. Gambling advertising will only be allowed inside the physical premises of licensed casinos and betting outlets. Sponsorship of government-linked educational, sports, concert, cultural, religious or arts events by gambling operators is also prohibited; however, licensed operators may still engage in community sponsorships under strict rules that forbid branding or references to gambling activities on donated items or merchandise.
Key Points
- Ordinance No.26 bans all forms of public-space and out-of-home gambling advertising within Pasig City.
- Covered media include billboards, transit ads (PUVs, tricycles, pedicabs), PUV terminals, building wraps, LED screens, posters and printed handouts.
- Gambling adverts are permitted only inside licensed casinos and betting outlets.
- sponsorship of government-linked events by gambling firms is prohibited; limited CSR sponsorships allowed if they contain no gambling branding or messaging.
- Mayor Vico Sotto framed the move as protecting citizens from repeated encouragement to gamble.
- The ordinance follows national-level pressure: PAGCOR previously ordered removal of outdoor adverts by online gaming operators and lawmakers have proposed tighter promotion and access rules for eGames.
Why should I read this?
Short and blunt: if you work in gaming, advertising, payments or marketing in the Philippines, this changes the playbook. Outdoor channels in Pasig are effectively shut for gambling promos — so campaigns, affiliates and ad buyers need to scramble. We read the detail so you don’t have to.
Context and Relevance
This ordinance is part of a wider tightening of gambling promotion and access in the Philippines. It complements earlier national actions by PAGCOR to remove OOH adverts by online operators and legislative moves calling for stricter controls on eGames. For operators and marketers this means reduced public visibility, a greater focus on in-venue and permissioned channels, and heightened compliance risk. Payment platforms and affiliates that have already been targeted by regulators should expect continued scrutiny. The decision could also prompt other cities to adopt similar measures, signalling a regulatory shift that the industry must monitor closely.
