Lawmaker Backs Regulation Over Online Gambling Ban

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – A neophyte lawmaker from Negros Occidental said he does not support a total ban on online gambling.

“Banning online gambling won’t make it disappear… it just sends it underground,” said 3rd District Rep. Javi Benitez in a statement posted on his official social media page Tuesday.

Benitez, now in his first term in Congress, is the son of Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez.

“Right now, over 40,000 Filipino workers depend directly on regulated online gambling platforms,” he said.

“These are real people with real families, relying on these jobs for food, education, healthcare and a better life,” he added.

Benitez said regulated online gambling generates more than PHP200 billion annually, which helps fund essential public services.

“That money doesn’t vanish—it goes directly into hospitals, schools, infrastructure projects, community programs and social services that improve our daily lives,” he said.

“In fact, DigiPlus alone reported paying PHP33.7 billion in taxes, funding critical public services,” he added.

He argued that history has shown prohibition does not work.

“Remember alcohol prohibition? Illegal liquor flourished, crime surged, and consumers were left unprotected,” he said.

“The same happened here with jueteng—banning it never stopped it,” he added.

Benitez said legal and regulated platforms help ensure gambling is done responsibly.

“They verify ages to protect minors, ensure games are fair, prevent exploitation and help spot and support people struggling with gambling addiction early—something impossible with underground operators,” he said.

He pointed to countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark as examples of successful gambling regulation.

“These countries prove that careful, responsible regulation works better than outright bans,” he said.

“I fully support stricter regulations—smarter, tighter controls to protect citizens and maximize public benefit,” he said.

“But outright bans only make matters worse,” he added.

Benitez stressed the importance of choosing regulation over prohibition.

“The reality is simple: Gambling is here to stay,” he said.

“The only question is whether we want it safely regulated and benefiting our communities—or dangerously unregulated and controlled by criminals,” he added.

“Let’s be smart. Let’s protect Filipino jobs, fund essential services and keep our people safe,” he said.

Earlier, Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri filed a bill seeking a total ban on online gambling in the Philippines, calling it a “silent epidemic” harming Filipinos, particularly minors and vulnerable sectors.

In the proposed Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025, Zubiri likened today’s online gambling threat to that once posed by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

“We already shut the doors on POGOs for the damage they caused,” Zubiri said.

“But an even more dangerous problem has crept into our homes—online gambling that targets our own people,” he added.

DEEP DIVIDE

Philippine lawmakers remain deeply divided over how to address the fast-growing online gambling industry, with competing proposals ranging from strict regulation to a total nationwide ban.

Akbayan party-list Representatives Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña, and Dadah Ismulla introduced House Bill 1351, or the Kontra e-Sugal Act, seeking to curb the risks of online gambling through tighter access controls and harm reduction measures.

“Online gambling is accessible anytime, anywhere and often anonymously, making it particularly addictive and harmful to minors, persons who may be vulnerable to the lure of gaining easy money, and those desperate to make ends meet,” the authors said in their explanatory note.

The bill proposes several safeguards, including strict age verification protocols, a national self-exclusion registry, betting loss limits, advertising restrictions, and recognition of gambling disorder as a public health issue.

It also seeks to impose a harm mitigation levy on gambling operators and bans campaign contributions from entities involved in the gambling industry.

“The absence of regulatory controls has led to a rise of gambling-related problems, including financial meltdowns, family breakdowns, gambling addiction, depression, and other mental health issues,” the lawmakers added.

However, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong called for a full prohibition of online gambling, warning that half-measures would fail to address the root of the problem.

“As it is, anyone can do that (gambling) with a smartphone. If you want to cut a tree, do not just trim the branches. Go to the very root of the problem,” Adiong said.

“The possible benefits that you get does not actually outweigh the negative effects that you have. Any measure that would affect the moral fiber of our society should be prioritized,” he added.

In the Senate, legislators are similarly split, with Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri including the Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025 as a top priority bill in the 20th Congress.

Zubiri’s measure calls for an outright ban on all forms of online gambling, including digital betting platforms, mobile apps, and websites accessed through electronic devices.

The bill mandates internet service providers, mobile networks, and online platforms to block gambling sites and remove related applications within 72 hours of a notice from the Department of Justice or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Digital payment providers such as credit card companies, GCash, and PayMaya would also be barred from processing any online gambling transactions under the proposal.

Violators, including operators and individuals, face penalties that include steep fines and imprisonment.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, however, argued for a regulatory approach to prevent driving the gambling market underground, where it would be harder to monitor and control.

Senator JV Ejercito echoed the need for tighter regulation, emphasizing the high societal costs of gambling addiction and its impact on families and communities.

Senators Joel Villanueva and Pia Cayetano have also filed bills supporting a ban on online gambling, while Senator Alan Peter Cayetano proposed a measure focused on banning the advertising and promotion of online gambling in all forms.

The divide highlights the tension between public health and moral concerns on one side, and regulatory enforcement and economic impacts on the other.

Online gambling in the Philippines has grown rapidly in recent years, bolstered by widespread smartphone use, digital wallets, and an underdeveloped national policy framework.