Taguig and Pateros Representative Ricardo S. Cruz Jr. filed House Bill 7689 pushing for an online gambling ban. Any online gambler is jailed for six months and issued a PHP500,000+ fine.
The reason behind this bill is to prevent people from getting addicted to gambling. Cruz states that it is unhealthy for people to gamble not only for their mental well-being but also for their finances.
Players are not the only ones affected by this because people who encourage gambling can be responsible too. They are given maximum penalties and dismissed from their positions if they hold any place in public service. It’s a blow for all online casino gamblers who love using their kasino bonus to earn maximum rewards.
The casino industry earns 9 million per day
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) regulates the country’s online and offline gambling operations. Cruz has noted that PAGCOR earns around PHP9,000,000 daily from legal gambling spots.
It is a massive figure because if that happens over a year, that is a PHP3,285,000,000 revenue. Of course, online casinos are not the only forms of gambling because the Philippines has a well-known relationship with cockfighting or ‘sabong’.
Online sabong betting has become more popular through the years. Cruz points out that it promotes destructive behaviour and hurts the country’s morality. This bill is his counter to the issues people are facing.
He is not the only one in office critical of gambling because Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto have taken steps before Cruz even filed this bill.
Senator Gatchalian laid out the groundwork for this bill
Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are all over the country. Gatchalian is one of the most prominent critics because he noted that the perceived benefits of mostly Chinese online gambling operators to the PH economy are not adding up.
The cities where these POGOs are most active are Manila, Pasay, and Parañaque. Gatchalian is also the head of the Ways and Means Committee. He has already presented the results of the POGO experiment failing the country’s economy.
On the Senate floor, he brought this up as an issue at hand. Gatchalian said, ‘POGOs have created new avenues for crime and corruption, damaging our country’s reputation among diplomatic allies, foreign investors, potential tourists and even our own countrymen’.
Mayor Vico Sotto created an ordinance against online gambling
Pasig City Vico Sotto, a younger official who’s in tune with current events and trends, saw online gambling was making the rounds in his city. After seeing the perceived harm it can bring, he filed an ordinance and banned online gambling from being played and operated within the city.
The ordinance says that these casinos only have until 2023’s end to cease operations within the city. It’s not only for online casinos because e-sabong, e-bingo, online poker, and many more are affected by this too.
The fine for going against this is worth PHP5,000. However, they’ll be jailed for a year but it still depends on the court’s discretion. It’s a huge change because it’s evident that Cruz has supporters.
Cruz’s crusade to ban online gambling is certified by all of the examples he gave. However, there are many obstacles they have to face in combating such a large-scale operation as online gambling where rewards are high due to the kasino bonus. This will take a long time to pass but Cruz’s plans are warranted.