TheBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) late Thursday ordered all BSP supervised institutions to remove links providing in-app gambling access from their payment apps and websites within 48 hours.

Covered by this memo are e-wallets, banks (through their payment apps and websites), and other BSP supervised institutions.

BSP Deputy Director Mamerto Tangonan first revealed this during a Senate hearing on Thursday. He said the BSP is giving 48 hours to enable the institutions to take down those in-app links to the online gaming sites.

''The other reason, Your Honor, is that we will provide time for the customers, consumers to withdraw their funds from the online gaming account once they learn that we are already removing the links,'' added Tangonan.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, the chairman of the Committee on Games and Amusement, said he agreed to the 48-hour deadline.

''If I see them (online gaming sites) by Sunday morning, I will place you under contempt,'' Tulfo told Tangonan.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said there are 32 million Filipinos engaged in e-gaming. The concern over Filipinos' addiction to online gaming has gained traction especially since a lawmaker was caught playing an online gaming site while in session.

Suspended in-app gambling access includes any product/service/feature that redirects an account holder to a gaming/gambling site.

The BSP directive is issued in light of the surge in online gambling transactions and its impact on the financial health of consumers and their families, and considering the broader social cost. The suspension will remain in place until the BSP finalizes the policy on online gambling payment services. DMS