Philippine Senate to Debate Future of Licensed Online Gambling

The debate over licensed online gambling in the Philippines is set to take center stage this week, as the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement prepares for a high-profile hearing on Thursday, August 14.

Good to know

• Four separate bills on domestic licensed online gambling will be discussed.
• Senator Erwin Tulfo, committee chair, favors an outright ban but says all sides will be heard.
• President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is consulting religious leaders, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

Four different bills, each from separate sponsors, will be reviewed alongside three resolutions tied to the same issue. While the details of the individual proposals were not disclosed in the Senate’s Sunday press release, local media have been reporting for weeks on measures ranging from stricter regulation to a complete ban.

The topic gained momentum last month when the idea of shutting down all domestic licensed online gambling operations entered the public conversation.

Senator Erwin Tulfo has made no secret of his personal stance. “The problem is escalating. It’s already a crisis. So, we really need to take action to solve this problem,” he told local reporters.

Still, Tulfo said he is committed to hearing from key agencies, including the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) and the Department of Finance, before making any final push. “We were not ready. There is no regulation, and it is why people are gambling recklessly,” he added, noting that the current framework left too many gaps when the market opened.

The Senate hearings come just days after it was revealed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. plans to meet with leaders from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to hear their concerns. The Catholic Church has long opposed domestic online gambling, warning of its potential social harms.

Marcos’ spokesperson has indicated the president will not make a snap decision and wants a full review of the issue before taking a position.

What’s at Stake

An outright ban could have a major impact on Pagcor, which licenses and regulates online gaming operators. The hearings will weigh whether the potential economic benefits of regulated gambling outweigh the social costs.

With political leaders, religious institutions, regulators, and the public all invested in the outcome, Thursday’s session is expected to set the tone for one of the most contentious gambling policy debates in recent Philippine history.

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