President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will not rush into a decision on the future of online gambling in the Philippines and will carefully consider the views of stakeholders, Malacañang said Tuesday.
In a Palace briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro stressed the need for thorough study and consultations before implementing any major policy shift.
“Maliwanag ang sinabi ng Pangulo diyan. Sa kanyang opinyon, dapat aralin at hindi dapat magpadalos-dalos ng kilos dahil kailangan madinig natin lahat ang mga stakeholders at mga concerned parties patungkol dito,” Castro said.
The President earlier revealed in a podcast interview that he plans to form a policy-making body on online gambling, which will include representatives from various sectors, including the Catholic Church. Castro said Marcos is committed to holding dialogues with stakeholders as soon as his schedule allows.
She also noted the urgency of the issue amid preparations for the 2026 national budget, as the government relies heavily on e-gaming revenues to fund critical social programs.
When asked if the President was leaning toward stricter regulation instead of an outright ban, Castro clarified that no final decision has been made, as Marcos first wants to hear stakeholder input.
The President had previously cautioned that a total ban could drive gambling activities underground, making them harder to monitor and regulate.
Castro added that Marcos views the real concern not as online gambling itself, but its social impact, particularly addiction among the youth, which must be addressed.
“Ang sabi nga niya hindi naman ‘yung paglalaro o ‘yung sugal mismo or online gaming ang nagiging problema kung hindi ‘yung pagiging addicted to gambling at iyon dapat ang umpisahan na masolusyonan,” she said.
With reports from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
