Philippines: Online gambling prohibition gains traction within Senate
An increasing number of Philippine lawmakers are expressing support for a full ban on iGaming.
Key points:
– A new bill to ban online gambling in the Philippines is continuing to gain traction
– Lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives have expressed support for the action
A new bill for an outright ban on online gambling in the Philippines has continued to proliferate, with lawmakers from both the nation’s Senate and House of Representatives now supporting the initiative.
Filed by Manila Representative Benny Abante, House Bill 1876 looks to introduce a full ban on online gambling and offsite betting; a bill that is now gaining traction with a Philippine Government that is becoming increasingly polarised on the issue. Indeed, Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo has now also stated that he is planning to file a similar bill to ban iGaming in the nation, rather than lobbying for the introduction of stricter legislation.
Moreover, Tulfo has stated that he hopes that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr remains attuned to the growing “epidemic” of online gambling addiction in the nation – with the Senator also calling on PAGCOR – the nation’s regulator – to outlaw all forms of online gambling advertising. Continuing, Tulfo stated that Government officials could be linked to the fast rise of online gambling and the subsequent rise in addiction, calling for an investigation into this area of the matter.
Speaking on the matter of online gambling addiction, Representative Abante stated: “Online gambling is not just a vice—it is a virus. It is an addiction that eats away at the moral fibre of our society. It erodes the values we teach our children, and it devastates the finances of Filipino families.”
Building on this, Tulfo added: “There is an epidemic happening in our country right now and it’s getting worse and worse. It’s about time that we all work together to address this serious epidemic.”
Good to know: Last week, PAGCOR ordered the removal of gambling ad billboards from all public spaces
Elsewhere, the regulator has also recently backed the introduction of tighter legislations on gambling – but has stated that it is opposed to an outright ban due to fears of black-market proliferation.
These latest legislative proposals also fall in the wake of the nightmarish Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) debacle that dominated Philippine gambling news for the majority of 2024, culminating in the official outlawing of POGOs in all forms.
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