Health Sec supports regulating online gambling due to addiction

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa supports proposals to ban or regulate online gambling due to its addictive nature, citing it as a mental health issue and highlighting how accessible it has become.

Herbosa noted that addiction to gambling is a deep moral problem affecting many families and called for either banning or regulating the practice.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed the Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025, which seeks an outright ban on all forms of online gambling in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Garchalian filed another bill to impose stricter regulations on online gambling, including banning sponsorships of public events and campaign donations.

CitizensWatch Philippines advocates for stronger regulation rather than a total ban, arguing that it could drive the industry underground and leave users vulnerable to illegal operators.

Herbosa emphasized that easy access to smartphones and social media platforms exacerbates addiction to online gambling, urging the government to treat it as a mental health issue.

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