Leachon: Online gambling a psychological trap

A public health advocate on Sunday, 17 August, urged the Department of Health, civil society, and educators to "lead a national strategy" — the one that integrates mental health services against online gambling.

In a statement sent to the DAILY TRIBUNE, public health advocate Dr. Tony Leachon argued that online gambling is a "psychological trap."

"It hijacks the brain’s reward system, leading to compulsive behavior, anxiety, depression, and in extreme cases, suicidal ideation," Leachon explained.

"Unlike traditional gambling, online platforms are available 24/7, often designed to exploit emotional vulnerability and impulsivity," he added.

Leachon emphasized that the rise of online gambling in the country is more than just a regulatory concern, but also a "full-blown public health emergency."

"As a physician and public health advocate, I have witnessed firsthand how addiction silently devastates individuals, families, and entire communities," he continued.

The digital age, he added, has made gambling "omnipresent, seductive, and dangerously accessible."

He noted that the government must confront this crisis "with the same seriousness we apply to epidemics and chronic diseases."

'Destroying Filipino families'

In a public hearing on online gambling by the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement last week, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said that the booming online casino industry in the country is "destroying Filipino families."

Zubiri revealed a staggering 5,564 percent increase in online gambling revenues over the past four years.

The senator traces this explosive growth from P8 billion in 2022 to P135.71 billion in 2024, with P106.53 billion recorded in the first half of 2025 alone.

The lawmaker also warned that "the financial figures represent more than money, they are shattered lives, drained savings, and family tragedies by digital platforms that are dangerously accessible to the public."

Zubiri cited the story of a young man in Bukidnon who took his life after accruing online gambling debts he could not repay.

In La Trinidad, Zubiri cited a 22-year-old who reportedly took his life due to e-gambling losses, while a man allegedly murdered three people over gambling winnings in Daanbantayan, Cebu.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old was arrested in Cebu City for killing a 45-year-old following a gambling-related dispute.

"The consequences ripple outward: families lose savings, children suffer neglect, and relationships collapse under the weight of secrecy and shame," Leachon added.

"In a country where many live paycheck to paycheck, the financial fallout is catastrophic. People borrow from loan sharks, sell possessions, or skip meals to chase losses. This is not a moral failing—it is a public health issue that requires systemic intervention."

Generation at risk

Citing a 2023 survey, Leachon revealed a grim picture: 66 percent of Filipinos aged 18 to 24 engage in online gambling, many betting multiple times a week.

"We are witnessing the emergence of a generation conditioned to gamble," he pointed out.

"With e-wallets, influencer promotions, and gamified apps, addiction is just a few taps away. Students gamble between classes. Young professionals bet during commutes. Even full-time parents gamble from their beds," he added.

If left unchecked, the Philippines risks institutionalizing addiction as a cultural norm, thus, to address this, Leachon recommended the implementation of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and schema therapy to treat compulsive behavior.

CBT is a common type of talk therapy that helps individuals manage problems by changing the way they think and behave, while schema therapy is a type of psychotherapy that aims to address deeply ingrained, maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that originate in childhood.

He also recommended safeguarding online platforms that implement deposit limits, time caps, and self-exclusion tools, as well as public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking and school-based education to prevent early exposure.

Suspending gaming access

On Saturday, 16 August, digital financial giants GCash and Maya disabled access to online gaming after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordered the suspension of in-app gaming access in mobile payment apps and websites.

The suspension will remain in effect until the BSP finalizes its policy on e-gambling payment services.

Separately, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has ordered the removal of all outdoor advertisements for online gaming platforms.

Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he wants to consult various sectors on the proposal to ban online gambling.

"We still have to form the policy on what we are going to do about online gambling... We have to talk to the people... If we regulate, who will be doing the regulation?" Marcos said in a podcast.

When asked by the members of the press, President Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro reiterated that Marcos intends to conduct a consultation with stakeholders first before coming up with a final decision.

While Castro said that the exact schedule for the consultation has yet to be finalized, among those who will be invited to the meeting are representatives from the Church. — with reports from Lade Jean Kabagani