Meta Removes Pages of Filipino Influencers Over Illegal Gambling Promotions Following Government Request

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has taken down the pages of at least 20 Filipino influencers after they were found promoting illegal online gambling operations. The move comes in response to a formal request jointly filed by the Philippine government and the digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys. The action has been hailed as a decisive step in the ongoing campaign to curb the proliferation of gambling-related content across social media platforms in the country.

Ronald Gustilo, national campaigner for Digital Pinoys, confirmed the takedowns and underscored the significance of the development. “We thank Meta for swiftly acting on our joint request with CICC [Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center] to take down the pages of influencers blatantly promoting illegal online gambling,” Gustilo stated. “We hope the remaining pages flagged in our initial report will be removed in the coming days.”

The influencers whose pages were removed included several prominent personalities with large online followings. Among them were Boy Tapang, who had amassed 5.5 million followers, Sachzna Laparan with 9.7 million followers, Kuya Lex TV with 100,000 followers, and actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, whose Facebook page had 242,000 followers. These accounts were part of an initial list submitted by Digital Pinoys and officially endorsed by the CICC in its communication with Meta.

Gustilo did not mince words in calling out the influencers who had been warned but continued to engage in the promotion of illegal online gambling. “Some of these influencers thought they were untouchable—that we were bluffing. They had more than enough time to comply. They gambled with the law, and now they’re facing the consequences,” he said. He also expressed appreciation for the role of the CICC in the campaign, commending the leadership of Assistant Secretary Aboy Paraiso for his coordination efforts in getting the pages removed.

Support for the crackdown has also emerged from the legislative sector. Senator Joel Villanueva lauded the collaboration between Meta, the CICC, and Digital Pinoys, calling the removal of the gambling-promoting pages “a significant step forward in our campaign to push for a total ban on online gambling.” Villanueva is the author of Senate Bill No. 47, the proposed Anti-Online Gambling Act, which seeks to outlaw all forms of internet-based gambling in the Philippines.

The senator further emphasized the moral accountability of public figures, particularly in the realm of digital influence. “This sends a message that public figures have a responsibility to promote ethical conduct and not expose the public, especially the youth, to the dangers of gambling,” he said. Villanueva added that influencer contracts should include morality clauses to discourage engagement in or promotion of activities that contravene legal and ethical standards.

The removal of these high-profile pages marks a rare but impactful demonstration of coordinated action between civil society, government agencies, and major tech platforms. For advocates of stricter controls on online gambling, it represents not only an enforcement milestone but also a message that digital influence comes with real-world responsibilities.

By fLEXI tEAM