DEPDev opposes online gambling, studies tax-based mitigation

Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan expressed opposition to online gambling amid growing concerns that it causes moral and financial harm on the public.

However, he stressed that fellow economic managers are exploring tax measures to regulate such activity and will still consult President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for some guidance.

Proposals to ban online gambling, which is advertised in e-wallets and other mobile apps, came after Marcos prohibited Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) in July 2024, following reports of kidnappings, illegal detentions, and other disturbances by these gaming operators.

"I think the thrust in DEPDev is just like in POGO. We are against POGO. Online gambling [also] has social issues," Balisacan told the media last Wednesday evening.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri had raised the alarm by filing Senate Bill 142 or the Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025 last Monday to stop all forms of online gambling in the country and oppose taxes on their providers as a way to discourage unhealthy public consumption.

Due to online gambling, Zubiri shared that some farmers lost P500 to P1,000 per game, while a teenager in Bukidnon committed suicide after being overtaken by guilt for spending some of his parents' savings to play.

However, Balisacan said the economic team has yet to create its position paper on the booming industry. He said economic managers are studying tax measures, reviewing the overall impact of tax burden for similar vices.

"At the very least, we can tax them and at the same time make sure that online gambling will not have social menace," he said.

"We need to regulate them effectively just like we regulate smoking and the proposal for sugary products," Balisacan continued.

However, he recognizes that taxing online gambling entails challenges in implementation and monitoring.

"I was asking some of my colleagues if we have the tools and infrastructure to tax online gambling. Apparently, we will still need a law," he said.

"The implementation involves other evolving industries like AI and other advanced technologies," Balisacan added.

Zubiri shared that online gambling contributed over P47 billion to government revenues in the first quarter of 2025.