The games are gone from GCash — but GCash still works
In August 2025 the games section disappeared from inside the GCash app and half the country decided gambling with GCash was over. It is not. One thing was switched off, and the thing most people actually use was left alone.
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What actually happened
On 15 August 2025 the central bank — Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas — issued Memorandum M-2025-029. It told every institution it supervises to switch off gaming features embedded inside their own payment apps. GCash removed access to games in GLife the following evening. Maya did the same.
That is the whole event. A mini-game section inside a wallet app was closed.
What still works, and this is the part that matters
Cashing in and cashing out at a licensed casino site with your GCash wallet was not touched. In 2026 it is the ordinary way Filipinos play: you open the casino site itself, choose GCash in the cashier, and the money moves both ways exactly as before.
| Before August 2025 | Today | |
|---|---|---|
| Games inside the GCash app | Yes, in GLife | Switched off |
| Deposit to a casino site with GCash | Yes | Yes |
| Withdraw from a casino site to GCash | Yes | Yes |
| Playing at a PAGCOR-licensed site | Legal, 21+ | Legal, 21+ |
So the short answer is: nothing you need was taken away. The wallet still moves money in and out, the licensed sites still take it, and the payouts still land in minutes.
How to deposit now, step by step
- Open the casino site itself, not the GCash app. Any of the eight on our list.
- Register with your real details — the name has to match your GCash wallet exactly, or the first withdrawal stalls.
- In the cashier choose GCash, enter the amount, confirm in the GCash prompt. Deposits are usually instant.
- Cash out a small amount early to see the route work end to end. On the sites below it comes back in minutes.
Why the change was made
Online gambling turnover in the Philippines grew enormously between 2020 and 2024, and the ease of tapping a game inside a wallet app was part of the reason. The memorandum is a responsible-gambling measure: it puts a deliberate step between your wallet and a game, so playing is a decision rather than a reflex. The suspension stands until the central bank finalises its policy on gambling payments.
For a player who chooses a licensed site on purpose, nothing about that changes the game.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the games disappear from the GCash app?
Because of BSP Memorandum M-2025-029, issued in August 2025. It ordered payment providers to switch off gaming features built into their own apps. GCash removed access to games in GLife from 16 August 2025.
Can I still use GCash for online casinos?
Yes. The memorandum removed the games built into the GCash app. Using GCash as a wallet to cash in and cash out at a licensed casino site was not switched off, and it is how most Filipinos play in 2026.
Is it still legal to play at a PAGCOR-licensed casino?
Yes, for players aged 21 and over, at operators licensed by PAGCOR. The August 2025 memorandum was about payment apps carrying games inside them, not about licensed online casinos.
Where to play
Seven of the eight hold a PAGCOR licence, PHMacao a Curaçao one, and all eight take GCash directly, both ways — no crypto detour, no third-party wallet. Pick the one that fits how you play, start with the minimum, and cash out once early to see the route work.
Read next
The memorandum in plain English
What the central bank actually ordered, and what it left alone.
All 11 sites compared
The eight that take GCash directly, both ways.
GCash withdrawal guide
What holds a payout, and the three fixes.
Playtime is now PT Gaming
Same company, new name and a new address — what the register shows.