Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said on Monday the government should act on online gambling in the country, noting that such platforms have become accessible to people of all ages.
“Wala na yatang mas titindi pang kabaliwan kaysa sa ahensya ng gobyerno na kunwaring nababahala sa ilegal na offshore gambling, samantalang ginawa namang legal ang online gambling dito mismo sa bayan natin — kumpleto, todo-todo, walang hiya. Bukas sa lahat, sa bata o matanda, 24 oras kada araw, pitong araw kada linggo,” he said in a Facebook post.
(There is no greater madness than a government agency pretending to be concerned about illegal offshore gambling, while online gambling has been legalized right here in our own country — completely, shamelessly. Open to everyone, whether young or old, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.)
“Sino pa ang magtitiis pumuslit sa mga casinong pang-mayaman kung kahit sino puwede nang magsugal habang nakahiga sa sala, sa kwarto, sa bulsa ng bata — sa liwanag ng cellphone?”
(Who would still bother sneaking into casinos for the rich when anyone can gamble while lying in the living room, in the bedroom, in a child’s pocket — in the light of a cellphone?)
David also called the influencers and celebrities endorsing online gambling as “pushers.”
“Nagpapaupa bilang pushers, tagapagtulak ng pasugalan ng mga bilyonaryong walang konsensya. Nilalambat ang mga inosente at desperado sa malawak na digital na dagat ng sugalan,” he said.
(They allowed themselves to be pushers, promoting gambling by unscrupulous billionaires. Luring the innocent and desperate in the vast digital sea of gambling.)
According to Mav Gonzales’ report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed a bill seeking to impose strict regulations for online gambling.
Among the proposals under Gatchalian’s proposed measure include adjusting the minimum age for betting from the present 18 years old to 21 years old.
The bill also proposes setting the minimum bet to P10,000 and a minimum top-up of P5,000.
The proposed measure also seeks to prohibit direct linking of digital finance apps to the online gambling platforms.
“There’s no floor price. So ibig sabihin kahit P20 pwede ka tumaya…Yung minimum nga is P10,000, so hindi pwedeng P20 makakalaro ka na. Minimum mo ay dapat P10,000, ang top-up mo is about P5,000,” said Gatchalian.
(There is no floor price. So you can place a bet even with only P20…So the minimum bet would be P10,000. Hence, you can no longer play with only P20. The minimum top-up, on the other hand, should be about P5,000.)
Gatchalian said that imposing regulations would be better as a total ban on online gambling could only lead to underground operations.
If passed into law, the measure would require biometrics to ensure that the player is of the right age.
Further, the bill would regulate advertisements on online gambling and celebrities will no longer be allowed to endorse such platforms.
“Bawal ang advertising saan-saan, bawal din mag-advertise near the schools, near the churches, near the government establishments,” said Gatchalian.
(Advertising anywhere will be regulated. You cannot advertise near the schools, churches, and government offices.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BAP, GMA Integrated News
