Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo has called for a ‘total ban’ on gambling as the latest news from the Senate has revealed that a probe will be opened into the industry.
Erwin Tulfo, Chair of the Philippine Senate Committee on Games and Amusements, wants a hearing and is pushing for a total ban, referencing the social cost of gambling in his recent speech.
His comments were extremely direct regarding the ongoing issue in the country, stating it would be stopped immediately if he had such power.
“If it were up to me, online gambling should be stopped immediately, because of the bad things happening: children are no longer studying, families are breaking apart and people are buried in debt.”
More opinions on the subject came from another key figure – Alejandro Tengco, chairman and CEO of PAGCOR – but he refused to comment as directly as Tuflo. He did claim the role of PAGCOR goes beyond financial aspects and hinted they could do more.
“Our role goes beyond revenue generation; and as partners of the government in nation-building, we are committed to always striking a balance between enabling industry expansion and ensuring it aligns with responsible gaming standards.”
The news story received another layer when one individual congressman representative Nicanor Briones was caught on his phone watching online cockfighting during a vote for a speaker in the 20th congress, further shining a negative light on gambling in the country.
He was forced to issue an apology and his actions were condemned by Tuflo, who stated: “It doesn’t matter if the Speaker’s election is boring, you should wait. That’s your job. The people pay is to work, not gamble.”
In terms of the next steps for the country, Keith McDonnell, Director at the KMI Group, told iGaming Expert what is likely to happen next in their market.
“What the Philippines needs most now is time to carefully consider how a regulatory framework and workable tax system can provide long-term benefits to the local economy while protecting the most vulnerable.
“Everyone knows an outright ban on [inland gaming operators] would drive things underground, leading to more social, economic and political problems.”
