Bill Aiming to Penalize Online Gambling Promoters Filed by Senator Robin Padilla
Senator Robin Padilla has filed a bill to penalize individuals who use the internet and social media to endorse online gambling activities.
The proposed law aims to punish online gambling activities, with penalties of up to three years imprisonment and half a million pesos in fines.
Under Senate Bill 2602, filed by Padilla on Wednesday (March 13, 2024), the actor-turned-senator elaborates various problems associated with the promotion of gambling, such as addiction, crime, and the destruction of the country’s moral values.
Padilla’s note explains the proliferation of online content related to gambling on social media platforms, which not only promotes betting but also provides instructions to the public. He proposes to prohibit the online publication of gambling-related materials, commentaries, and advertisements.
“In this regard, this representation proposes the prohibition of online publication of materials that instruct or demonstrate gambling, commentaries and advertisements that promote awareness of gambling activities,” The note reads.
The Digital Pinoys group has observed several online influencers and social media pages using their platforms to endorse gambling. Some even direct netizens to illegal gambling sites.
Padilla, who heads the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, aims to reduce the exposure to gambling, especially among the youth who frequently use the internet.
If SB 2602 becomes law, it will empower the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue disabling orders to block such online content.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will also be tasked with monitoring compliance with the DOJ’s orders.
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Service providers will be required to comply with the disabling orders within 48 hours of their issuance. Those found violating the law by publishing or promoting gambling materials online may face imprisonment of up to one year or fines of up to P500,000.
Individuals who publish gambling materials on online gambling sites, or those who receive commissions for doing so, may face imprisonment of up to one year or fines of up to P500,000 as well.