Miguel Zubiri files bill seeking outright ban on online gambling
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has filed a bill seeking to ban online gambling. File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has filed a bill seeking an outright ban on online gambling in the Philippines, calling it a “silent epidemic” that is quietly harming Filipinos, especially minors and the most vulnerable.
Zubiri’s bill is called the Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025. In a statement on Friday, the former Senate president said while the administration had already closed its doors to Philippine offshore gaming operators, an even more dangerous problem has crept into our homes — and it’s online gambling.
“Let’s not kid ourselves. Gambling addiction looks different now. It no longer looks like a person getting addicted to a casino or a cab. It now looks like a kid with a phone under the covers at 2 a.m., losing the family’s grocery money on an online casino site,” Zubiri said in mixed Filipino and English.
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Under Zubiri’s proposed measure, all forms of online gambling in the country will be prohibited. This includes digital betting platforms, mobile applications and websites that allow users to place wagers through phones, tablets and computers.
The bill likewise mandates Internet Service Providers, mobile network operators and digital platforms to block access to gambling websites and remove related apps within 72 hours upon notice from the Department of Justice or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Failure to act promptly may result in fines, license suspension, or even revocation of their authority to operate.
“We see a lot of online casino ads in our payment wallets. Famous artists even endorse them. You can see the memes of what they call ‘scatter’ on social media. These memes make a parody of people losing a lot of money in online gambling,” Zubiri noted.
“The unfortunate thing here is not only the adults who are addicted to vice. Our young people are also involved. Children are learning to lie, to steal, to cheat just to fund their next bet,” he added. /mr
