The Philippines' crackdown on online gambling continues to escalate. The Senate Committee on Games and Amusement has initiated an investigation to assess the social impact and risks of online gambling on citizens. The committee chair, Senator Erwin Tulfo, stated that the Philippines is "not yet ready" to deal with the impact of online gambling and explicitly supports a total ban.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced that a multi-sectoral consultation meeting will be held—possibly even behind closed doors—to discuss the issue of online gambling, with participants including representatives from religious groups. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has already publicly called for a complete ban on online gambling.
The Philippines has implemented several measures in the gambling sector. The "PlaySafe Alliance," consisting of 19 licensed operators, has been established to combat illegal gambling; new payment rules have also been implemented to limit online gambling expenditures. Additionally, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Advertising Standards Council (ASC) to strengthen the regulation of gambling advertisements and promote responsible gambling.
Tulfo emphasized that the lack of effective regulation not only leads to gambling addiction but also creates an unsafe gambling environment. "You have to weigh: is the government's tax revenue more important, or is the future of the youth more important? The issue of online gambling is already a crisis." He promised to prioritize relevant legislation to thoroughly address this increasingly serious social issue.
