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In a heated Philippines Senate hearing on Tuesday, the Committee on Games and Amusement issued a show-cause order against Meta for failing to send representatives to a critical inquiry into the rise of illegal online gambling on social media platforms. 
This action came amid rising concerns over how these platforms have attracted gambling ads, promotions, and operations, especially after the government’s ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) earlier in the year.
This has contributed to a rapid proliferation of illicit activities online, with the Philippines Senate responding by launching a probe into the rise.
The hearing on Tuesday was chaired by Senator Erwin Tulfo, who was aghast at the letter received from the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which detailed the company’s apologies for the no-show, with an offer to meet with the senator at a later date.
“No, no, no. Why are they dictating to this committee when they will attend? That’s not an excuse. Don’t force me, Meta, to subpoena you,” said Tulfo, as reported by the PNA.
Tulfo continued to describe Meta’s absence as a sign of disrespect to the legislative process and order in the Philippines.
He opined that the committee should expect the participation of such an important stakeholder, given the role played by Meta’s platforms in hosting the content that allegedly encourages viewers to gamble.
Meta threatened with Philippines subpoena after failing to attend online gambling inquiry
Senator Risa Hontiveros suggested the committee should issue a show-cause order to Meta Philippines to explain why it should not be hit with a subpoena, with Tulfo backing this stance.
In a letter dated September 15, signed off by Meta public policy manager Genixon David, the social media giant said that its subject matter experts on online gambling policies are based in Singapore and the United States and were not available to be present in Manila due to prior commitments.
Despite this, Meta insists it is taking the matter seriously and has conveyed its willingness for further dialogue with the Philippines Senate on gambling and real money gaming content.
As part of a meeting in the near future, it could even submit a policy paper on the local issue.
Senator Tulfo went on to stress the urgency of the issue, detailing that 65% of Filipinos are routinely exposed to online gambling content. In a sign of his position on further enforcement, the lawmaker urged the Senate to consider an outright ban on online gambling or to significantly bolster effective regulatory safeguards. 
He also acknowledged the nuanced reality of the situation, with gambling-related harms having to be balanced against the gambling tax revenues to be allocated to key government spending, such as healthcare and sports development.
Image credit: ISawRed/Unsplash
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A Louisiana chiropractor was sentenced to seven years in prison due to an elaborate fraud scheme involving the manipulation of health care and insurance systems, in order to fund his gambling habit.
Benjamin Tekippe, 40, from New Orleans, was held to account after his actions were discovered during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 
The owner of Metairie Chiropractic & Rehab defrauded Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) out of approximately $740,000 by submitting over $2.3 million in false and inflated claims for chiropractic services that were either never performed or not provided as billed. 
As detailed by the Department of Justice, Tekippe used the illicit money to fund a spiralling gambling habit, including over $90,000 spent at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans, while he also left a trail of lavish spending, including luxury holidays and high-end items. 
https://twitter.com/FBINewOrleans/status/1966573833080492041/
It appeared that once he started, the situation got deeper and deeper, to the extent of the $2.3 million claims, while various services were costed that were never carried out. 
This included procedures such as electrical stimulation and mechanical traction that were over-exaggerated or simply not performed.
The Louisiana chiropractor even continued to bill for services when he was enjoying the scenery on holiday in Aruba, as amazingly, while being held in Arizona and Washington on unrelated state charges.
Tekippe was known to law enforcement agencies, with a string of nine arrests on his record from 2002 to 2019. 
Unfortunately, these charges were not disclosed to the Louisiana Board of Chiropractic Examiners, meaning that he violated professional standards.
Tekippe claimed pandemic unemployment benefits while billing for patient services
A multi-agency probe led by the FBI and U.S. Department of Health soon brought the Louisiana chiropractor to book, uncovering various misdemeanors and failings that ultimately led to his sentence. 
The investigation found Tekippe was covering his tracks when BCBSLA auditors requested medical records, with fake documents used and staff asked to manipulate dates to legitimise the fraud. 
During the pandemic, when the clinic was supposedly closed, he claimed $12, 952 in unemployment benefits while simultaneously billing for significant patient services. 
In April this year, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana convicted Benjamin Tekippe on six counts of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud, leading to a further development in recent days.  
That was on Friday, September 12, when U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced the Louisiana chiropractor to seven years in federal prison, with a further three years on supervised release. 
Tekippe was also ordered to pay a $753,794.36 settlement to BCBSLA.
Also in the Pelican State, the Louisiana Department of Revenue opened a lawsuit against Virtual Gaming Worlds Holdings and MW Services (trading as WOW Vegas), seeking almost $44 million in unpaid state taxes and penalties.
Image credit: FBI
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The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gambling (IBJR) has launched a new website that can check if a betting website is regulated within seconds.
The all-new interactive component is part of the ‘No More Elephant in the Room’ campaign, which was introduced this month, to reinforce the fight against illegal platforms.
The tool, named BetAlert, will allow any user to “quickly and easily verify whether the betting site they intend to use is regulated by the Federal Government.” The technology behind BetAlert is run on a microsite that offers the interactive experience and works by the user simply typing in the URL of any betting site.
The tool will then immediately indicate whether the platform is licensed or otherwise. If it is regulated, the following message appears: “All good. This betting site is authorized by the Federal Government.”
If not, the system displays an alert which reads” “Attention. This betting site is not authorized by the Federal Government.”
IBJR tool: 78% of people find it difficult to distinguish legal sites from illegal ones, data finds
“IBJR greatly values the use of tools and technologies that contribute to spreading knowledge about the sector. BetAlert is extremely important, and we hope it will be widely used by bettors and Brazilian society,” says Fernando Vieira, Executive President of IBJR.
“Our goal is to ensure that people have access to all the benefits of regulation, the core of which is the safety of those who bet.”
This introduction comes after research was conducted by the Locomotiva Institute between April and May 2025 which found that between 41% and 51% of the Brazilian betting market still operates illegally.
The activity of those platforms reflects a fiscal impact, as it’s estimated that between R$ 1.8 billion and R$ 2.7 billion went uncollected in just three months. It’s thought that this could reach R$ 10.8 billion in one year. Also in the survey, it was found that 78% of participants find it difficult to distinguish between legal sites and illegal ones.
Featured Image: Via IBJR press release
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The lottery company TheLotter has launched a new website in the states of Minnesota and Arizona, with the all-new platform aiming to make participating in lottery games easier.
It initially went live back on August 4 in Minnesota, with the company sharing that feedback highlighted the new site’s optimized ticket ordering process, more modern design, and improved performance.
Now, there are plans by the company to launch the website in more states across the country. On the website, it states that the new site is now live in Arizona and will soon be coming to Oregon, New Jersey, and New York.

“We’re excited to offer our players a faster, more engaging experience,” said Yael Hertz, TheLotter Group CEO. “With quicker navigation and a cleaner interface, every update is designed to help players reach their favorite games with ease and confidence.”
On the website, the company has added a personalized ‘My Account’ section which features an improved dashboard that puts key information for the user, about their account, at the front. The purchase process has been simplified too, with a new design brought in to make ordering tickets easier.
Players can now also view jackpots, draw times, results, and lottery information in one complete game overview which wasn’t possible beforehand. This also plays into the new design as a user-friendly interface has been opted for to make the navigation smoother.
“This is just the beginning,” Hertz added. “We’re committed to bringing these upgrades to all our customers across the U.S.”
What is TheLotter?
TheLotter is described as an online lottery courier service that enables customers to order official tickets for multistate games. This includes games such as the Powerball and Mega Millions, as well as local lottery games too.
It was founded over 23 years ago, in 2002, and works by TheLotter’s agents purchasing official tickets from licensed retailers when a player’s order is processed. They then scan and upload them to the player’s account, where the ticket can be seen prior to the draw. If a player wins, TheLotter then assists them with claiming their prize at the official lottery offices, with no commission taken.
Featured Image: Via TheLotter
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