Philippine counselling group sees sharp rise in gambling distress calls
Most calls reportedly come from relatives seeking assistance for family members.
The Philippines.- Bridges of Hope, a Philippine counselling and rehabilitation service, has reported a rise in gambling-related distress calls. It says gambling addiction accounting for nine out of ten enquiries received through its hotline so far in 2026. That compares to seven out of 10 just a year ago.
Jon Ty, founder and director of the charity, said most calls related to gambling were from relatives seeking urgent assistance for family members. He said gambling problems were frequently accompanied by alcohol abuse and other addictive behaviours, making recovery more challenging.
Ty said reported consequences included unpaid bills, children missing school, job losses and relationship breakdowns. The increase in demand for support has led Bridges of Hope to expand its rehabilitation network to 16 rehabilitation centres, up from 13 a year ago. It plans to open three additional facilities.
Ty suggested that stronger safeguards are needed, from regulatory measures to greater support for addiction hotlines, rehabilitation programmes and initiatives aimed at protecting young people from gambling-related harm.
Other support organisations have also reported rising demand for gambling addiction services. Reagan Praferosa, director of Recovering Gamblers of the Philippines, said calls to the group’s helpline have increased from 20 to around 30 per day, leading the organisation to deploy artificial intelligence tools to help manage enquiries. He observed that many of the most urgent calls are received during the early hours of the morning.
