Philippine senator proposes bill to ban all online gambling

A prominent opponent of the Philippine POGO sector has called for the banning of all online gambling.

On Thursday, Senator Joel Villanueva advocated for the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1281, which, if approved, would outlaw both internet gambling in general and the Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL) program, formerly known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). It remains unclear if this would cover the expanding “remote gaming” market, which allows land-based casino operators to offer Filipino citizens live-streamed games.

In a statement, Villanueva said, “There should be no debate that the social costs of gambling far outweigh any benefits,” citing evidence of human trafficking, scams, and kidnapping among former POGO license holders. “This has to stop, once and for all.”

Additionally, he accused PAGCOR, the gambling regulator, of having “unfortunately failed” to ensure that POGOs operated legally, as reported by the Philippine News Agency.

Villanueva pointed out that “the POGOs raided in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga, were found to be running scam operations.”

“For this reason,” he continued, “we are once again calling for the outright prohibition of POGOs as well as all online gaming.”

According to Senate Bill 1281, anyone involved in online gambling could face fines of up to Php500,000 (US$8,500) or up to six months in jail.

In a clarifying letter attached to his initial bill in September 2022, Villanueva stated, “The repercussions of gaming and online gambling are too severe to be ignored. The cost of gambling now includes not just financial loss but also the loss of life and values.”

Original Story by: IAG