Ako Bicol party-list representative Alfredo A. Garbin Jr. warned against complacency amid reports of reduced online gambling activity, saying the decline is only temporary as operators and gamblers are likely to find ways to evade current restrictions.
Garbin said recent gains in curbing online gambling were largely due to effective measures by electronic money issuers. However, he noted that “it will only be a matter of time before online gamblers and online gaming operators adapt with workaround measures.”
He urged policymakers to seize the current “pushback” against online gambling as an opportunity to pass stronger legislation.
“The pushback must be seized as an opportunity to work smart and fast to put in place a new and effective law regulating online gambling,” Garbin said.
Garbin is the principal author of House Bill (HB) 3075, one of only five measures filed in the 20th Congress seeking to regulate online gambling. In contrast, 24 other bills call for a total or partial ban.
According to Garbin, HB 3075 and HB 1351 — filed by the Akbayan Party-list — take “complementary approaches” to addressing the social and economic harms of unregulated online gambling.
HB 3075 focuses on creating a comprehensive regulatory framework, while HB 1351 emphasizes safety nets and social welfare mechanisms to mitigate gambling addiction.
Garbin’s 17-page proposal contains 28 sections outlining specific regulatory provisions, including:
- Registration of online gambling operators with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC);
- Implementation of “know your customer” and account verification protocols;
- Blocking of unlicensed gambling platforms;
- Establishment of responsible gaming programs; and
- Rehabilitation initiatives for gambling addiction.
Unlike other proposals that place the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) in charge, HB 3075 designates the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as the lead implementing agency.
The DICT will be mandated to craft the implementing rules and regulations in consultation with Pagcor and other concerned regulatory bodies.
Garbin emphasized that comprehensive regulation — not complacency — is key to addressing the evolving threats posed by online gambling.
“We need a system that keeps pace with technology, protects our people, and promotes responsible gaming,” he said.
