Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo recently issued a strong call for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to immediately remove all gambling-related outdoor advertisements and promotional materials nationwide, including those from legally licensed operators. He emphasized that the continuous exposure to gambling advertisements is stimulating addiction risks, and the government can no longer afford to sit back and watch.
"We can't delay any longer!" Tulfo stated in a public speech, "Between now and the government's set deadline of August 15, more people may fall into the gambling trap. Immediate action must be taken, or the consequences will be even more severe."
Tulfo urged PAGCOR to actively collaborate with local government units (LGUs) to quickly clean up gambling advertisements in the streets, especially large LED screens and elevated billboards. He pointed out that these visually impactful advertisements continuously stimulate the public, particularly teenagers and vulnerable groups, easily leading to irrational betting and addiction.
Advertising Regulation Becomes a New Focus in Gambling Governance
Currently, the Philippine gambling industry is under multiple pressures from public opinion and policy. Whether it's the legal boundaries of online gambling platforms, gambling tax policies, or the social impacts brought by the industry's spillover, all have become focal points of public concern.
This focus on "advertising exposure" by Tulfo signifies a subtle shift in the direction of gambling industry regulation—from primarily targeting operational licenses and platform qualifications to managing public visibility and psychological defenses.
Tulfo's stance is clear: even gambling companies holding legal PAGCOR licenses should not freely display their advertisements in public spaces. He calls on the government to adopt a preventative approach, immediately removing relevant advertisements to prevent more people from falling deeper into the gambling quagmire.
This move could directly impact PAGCOR's own operations, including casinos and legal online gambling platforms. The gambling industry may face stricter market promotion restrictions, and a quiet policy battle around "public visibility" and "legal commercial rights" has already begun.
