House probes online gambling harms and regulation gaps

House lawmakers have initiated legislative inquiries into the proliferation and potential harms of online gambling in the Philippines.

Representative Nathaniel Oducado filed House Resolution 42 to investigate the detrimental effects of online gambling on Filipinos, including financial ruin, mental health issues, and exposure to criminal activities.

Oducado also filed House Resolution 43, seeking a congressional probe into the implementation of a vape regulation law to help policymakers plug regulatory gaps.

Representative Brian Llamanzares filed House Resolution 40, emphasizing the need to probe illegal and unregulated offshore online gambling operators.

Llamanzares highlighted that these unregulated operators pose a threat to government revenue and facilitate crimes like money laundering, drawing parallels to issues seen with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

He stated that unregistered online gambling operators deprive the state of revenue while fostering organized crime and social harms.

Llamanzares mentioned reports indicating a sharp rise in gambling-related debt, family strife, school dropouts, and mental health issues linked to unregulated online platforms.

A 2023 Capstone-Intel survey indicated significant online gambling participation among young and middle-aged Filipinos.