Senate bill seeks tighter rules vs online gambling

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian —Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday filed a bill that seeks to impose stricter regulations against online gambling.

“Many families have had their futures destroyed because of online gambling, which are made easier by e-wallet … for instance, Scatter,” he said in a press briefing.

READ: Public warned against illegal offshore gaming sites

“Due to its accessibility, online gambling activities have magnified the dangers from gambling and have been linked to the erosion of our moral fibers, as it has caused an increase in mental health problems, financial problems, addictive behavior, vices and crime rates,” he added.

The proposed measure bans gambling sponsorships of public events and campaign donations and requires regulators to allocate a portion of collected regulatory fees to set up gambling addiction rehabilitation centers.

It also sets a minimum cash-in requirement and prohibits the use of GCash to discourage impulsive and easy access to gambling platforms and raises the age of players from 18 to 21. —Tina G. Santos