Bersamin: Planned e-gaming ban still pending

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not yet decided whether to ban online gambling, despite mounting calls from various groups and stakeholders.

Following the send-off ceremony for the President at Villamor Air Base on Sunday for his three-day official visit to the United States, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Chief Executive is still weighing the issue.

“We are still looking into it because we have to see all the ramifications of allowing that kind of gaming to operate,” Bersamin told reporters.

He declined to confirm whether the issue would be included in the President’s State of the Nation Address on 28 July, similar to how the administration previously addressed the fate of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

“Well, the policy remains the same... The President is very firm on POGOs — it was already banned,” Bersamin said.

In recent weeks, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, along with lawmakers from both chambers of Congress and various advocacy groups, have urged the government to ban online gambling, citing its harmful effects on the poor and its addictive nature.

CBCP president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David described online gambling as “a deep and widespread moral issue hiding in entertainment and technology.”

Several legislators have filed bills targeting online gambling.

Akbayan Partylist Representatives Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña and Dadah Ismulla filed a measure to restrict access. Senator Risa Hontiveros proposed banning access through e-wallets and super apps.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito signaled support for a potential total ban. Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Joel Villanueva and Raffy Tulfo had filed a proposal for an outright ban on all forms of online gambling.

Online gambling has emerged as a major revenue source. According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), gross gaming revenue from e-games jumped from P58.16 billion in 2023 to P154.51 billion in 2024, and reached P51.39 billion in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

Caretakers

The unprecedented increase in revenue prompted PAGCOR chairman Alejandro Tengco to oppose a total ban, advocating instead for stricter regulation. He noted that online gambling has generated more than P100 billion for the government.

Still, many Filipinos have become addicted to online gaming, experts have warned, with some reportedly pawning their most valuable possessions — motorcycles, cars, jewelry, even their homes — to sustain the habit.

Meanwhile, Bersamin said he, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III will be the country’s caretakers while Marcos is away.

“The order of the President is to continue the work while he is away. Anyway, we keep in constant communication with him during all the time that he is away from the country,” Bersamin told reporters.