Senate to tackle bills curbing online gambling this week

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on games and amusements will hold a hearing on Aug. 14 to tackle bills seeking to curb the adverse effects of online gambling in the country, its chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo said yesterday.

“On Thursday we will tackle the bills on online gambling in the Senate committee on games and amusements. I made a commitment to prioritize these bills because the problem is escalating. It’s already a crisis. So, we really need to take action to solve this problem,” Tulfo said. 

While reiterating his push for a total ban, the senator said the committee will also hear the positions of government agencies, such as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Department of Finance, to assess the benefits and drawbacks of declaring the industry illegal.

“Our problem is, we were not ready. There is no regulation, and it is why people are gambling recklessly. There is no control of up to how much to gamble. Come what may. Entire salaries are being gambled. Anything is being placed as a bet. Even children are gambling now,” Tulfo said.

“You have to weigh it. These are your profits, but here are the social ills. The problem of having people addicted to gambling, how is that advantageous? Are profits more important than people’s futures?” he added.

The committee is set to discuss four bills, three resolutions and a privilege speech addressing the social impact of the online gambling industry.