Lawmaker wants gambling influencers held liable

Online platforms and influencers should be held accountable for violating gambling advertising rules, a lawmaker said Monday, as concerns mount over the impact of celebrity endorsements on Filipinos struggling with gambling addiction.

Kamanggagawa Party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando raised the issue during a national budget hearing, questioning the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) over gambling advertisements on social media that allegedly lack required responsible gambling disclaimers.

San Fernando said celebrity and influencer endorsements could encourage financially struggling Filipinos, particularly minimum wage earners, to view gambling as a way to make ends meet.

“It is true that it is the personal choice of the public to gamble or not. However, for a desperate worker, seeing Ivana Alawi, Vice Ganda, and Vic Sotto in gambling ads leads them to think that they could just gamble to make ends meet for their homes,” San Fernando said.

He called on PAGCOR to ensure “equal liability” for content creators and the companies behind gambling platforms when their advertisements violate regulations or cause social harm.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the regulator has already penalized licensed gambling operators for violations of responsible advertising rules.

Tengco cited the case of social media personality Ivana Alawi, who gave away smartphones in exchange for following a gambling company’s page.

He said PAGCOR fined the operator P1 million and warned that another violation could result in the cancellation of its license.

Tengco, however, said enforcement remains difficult because nearly half of online gambling platforms accessible in the Philippines are believed to be operating illegally.

“When I assumed the chairmanship of PAGCOR, almost eight to 10 percent were legal then. But with our reforms, with the structure we have set up, it has risen to what we believe now as an equal 50-50,” Tengco said.

He added that some illegal operators are based overseas but use local influencers to promote their platforms.

PAGCOR is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to pursue possible cases against endorsers who violate regulations.

“Since we don’t have police power, we can only recommend cases to the DICT, NTC, and the CICC for endorsers that we believe should be punished,” Tengco said.

Tengco added that PAGCOR maintains a hotline for people seeking assistance for gambling addiction.

Families may also request the exclusion of relatives from gambling sites and casinos as part of the agency’s responsible gambling measures.