President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to convene a “conclave” bringing together key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive and measured policy on online gambling, particularly tackling its socio-economic effects.

Marcos made the announcement in “Kapihan with the Media” held shortly after his official visit to Bengaluru, India, over the weekend. 

Marcos said the planned gathering would include representatives from the Church, law enforcement, educators, addiction specialists, and parents, among others.

“Internally, we are calling it a ‘conclave’ to put all of the interested parties [together]. CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) members have been very vocal on their position, so they must be heard,” Marcos said.

The President emphasized that the policy would aim to balance the various concerns surrounding online gambling, noting that an outright ban may not be the most effective course of action.

Citing the example of “e-sabong,” which was banned in 2022 due to social and criminal issues, Marcos pointed out that illegal online cockfighting simply moved underground, making enforcement more difficult.

“So, let’s use that as an example. Was the e-sabong ban successful? If not, why didn’t it work? These are the things we need to study,” the President said.

Marcos underscored the importance of an evidence-based approach, saying, “I don’t want to influence anyone’s opinion here until we hear from the group who will be examining the question.” 

“But in my opinion, a ban will not take care of the problem. We have to be a little bit more measured in our response.”

Malacañang said preparations are already underway.