President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is working on a comprehensive policy to address the rise of online gambling.
Speaking in the latest episode of the BBM Podcast on Thursday, Marcos Jr. explained that online gambling was not mentioned in his recent State of the Nation Address because policy discussions are still underway.
“We still have to form the policy on what we are going to do about online gambling. And to this end, I have already started to organize, to convene a conference of all the stakeholders,” the President said.
The planned conference will include representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), religious groups, parents, and other concerned sectors. The goal is to develop clear regulations that address the issue effectively.
Marcos Jr. warned against an outright ban, saying it could drive the activity underground and out of the government’s control.
“The problem is not online gambling. The problem(s) are the social effects on our children and those who are addicted to gambling,” he said.
The Chief Executive stressed the need for a balanced approach that tackles these problems while maintaining proper oversight.IMT
