WILL the legislature act on bills proposing to ban online gaming?
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for a measure that would impose stricter regulations on online gambling, including a ban on betting games using electronic wallets or e-wallets and the imposition of a minimum cash-in amount of P10,000.
The proposed bill includes a provision banning the linking of e-wallets to gambling sites.
It also seeks to raise the minimum top-up amount for gambling since some online platforms accept bets as low as P20.
The measure further raises the minimum age requirement for online gambling from 18 to 21 years old.
It also aims to regulate the advertisement of online gambling, prohibiting promotional materials within a 200-meter radius of schools and places of worship.
For their part, Senators Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano have also filed a bill to prohibit online gambling in the Philippines, which they said is “particularly addicting and dangerous, especially for the youth,” and has “become a breeding ground for serious criminal activity,” including fraud, cybercrime, money laundering and human trafficking.
The bill seeks to ban online gambling in all forms and penalizes their operators, enablers and users.
Operators of online gambling platforms face fines of at least P10 million and imprisonment of 10 years while users may be fined up to P100,000 and spend up to six months in prison.
People who advertise or promote online gambling will meanwhile face fines of at least P5 million and imprisonment of up to five years.
Over at the House of Representatives, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong is also pushing for a total ban on all online gambling games, citing the social costs they bring, such as reinforcing addiction and contributing to mental health issues.
He wants to either ban or restrict access to online gambling amid growing concerns that young people can easily participate by simply cashing in through e-wallet applications.
According to the lawmaker, if the country was able to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, then online gambling should also be stopped.
He believes a stricter approach to online gambling may be necessary, as methods of cashing in and placing bets have become increasingly sophisticated
Meanwhile, Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said his proposed Anti-Online Gambling Promotions in E-Wallets Act aims to limit the accessibility of online gambling by targeting top-ups made through e-wallet applications.
He explained that some applications allow cash-ins as low as P50, making online gambling easily accessible to most people. However, he acknowledged the reality that such games generate income for the government.
Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and Akbayan party-list Reps. Chel Diokno and Percival Cendaña are also urging the government to safeguard vulnerable sectors from the harm caused by online gambling.
The lawmakers’ concerns followed a statement from Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David in which he criticized the government for failing to protect Filipinos, particularly the youth, from becoming “gambling addicts.”
Amid all this, is a total ban on online gaming looming in the horizon?
