BICOL Saro Rep. Terry L. Ridon has filed a resolution urging the Philippine government to impose stricter regulations on online gambling, amid alarming increases in gambling addiction and growing social and economic harms linked to mobile betting platforms.
In House Resolution No. 48, Ridon calls on the government to adopt a whole-of-government approach to address the worsening online gambling crisis, which has been likened by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to a “new plague” devastating Filipino families and communities.
“The online gambling industry has grown unchecked in recent years,” said Ridon. “It is now contributing to a mental health and financial crisis in our society, and the government can no longer afford to take a hands-off approach.”
According to recent Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) data, gross gaming revenue (GGR) from electronic gaming skyrocketed from ₱58.16 billion in 2023 to ₱154.51 billion in 2024, with ₱51.39 billion already recorded in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
Ridon cited alarming findings from Bridges of Hope, a leading rehabilitation network, reporting that seven in ten of its clients now suffer from online gambling addiction—surpassing cases linked to drugs or alcohol. The CBCP, through its President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, has echoed this concern, calling online gambling a “new plague” after witnessing countless cases of broken families and shattered livelihoods.
In the resolution, Ridon called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to prohibit the use of e-payment platforms and banking apps such as GCash, Maya, and bank apps for any online gambling-related transactions, including cash-in payments to gambling operators.
He further urged PAGCOR to require all online gambling firms to:
• Establish their own proprietary financial transaction platforms with strict Know-Your-Customer (KYC) safeguards,
• Impose a minimum cash-in threshold of ₱20,000 to deter casual and impulsive gambling,
• Ban all advertising, sponsorships, and promotions across TV, radio, digital, print, and outdoor media.
Ridon emphasized that stricter regulations are essential to prevent youth and low-income families from falling into gambling traps due to easy digital access. “The easier it is to place a bet, the faster we lose control over our society’s finances and moral compass,” he warned.
The resolution also calls for the formation of a joint task force composed of the PNP, NBI, and DOJ to clamp down on unlicensed online gambling platforms, and urges the NTC and DICT to identify and block illegal gambling websites and applications accessible within the Philippines.
While PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco recently announced efforts to regulate online gambling advertisements and integrate AI-powered monitoring systems, Ridon noted that current measures fall short in protecting the public, especially minors, from the long-term risks posed by gambling.
“The rise of online gambling is not just a regulatory issue—it is a public health and social protection concern,” Ridon concluded. “The government must act decisively now, before we lose another generation to addiction and financial ruin.”
