Philippines urged to ban online gambling ads
Former anti-graft commissioner Nicasio Conti has called for a nationwide ban on digital gambling promotions.
The Philippines.- Nicasio Conti, a former commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and current CEO of Capstone Intel Corporation, has called for the government to implement a nationwide ban on online gambling advertisements.
Labelling online gambling a “silent epidemic,” Conti warned that constant availability and aggressive marketing strategies were normalising addictive behaviours, particularly among financially vulnerable people. “It is available 24/7, targets the most financially at-risk, and is being disguised as entertainment,” he said. “The glamorization of gambling through aggressive ads is normalising addiction and destroying lives quietly.”
Conti said the use of e-wallets, online banking and other digital financial platforms for gambling transactions increased the risk of money laundering and other financial crimes.
“Gambling can no longer be treated as a private vice – it is a public issue with far-reaching consequences on mental health, poverty, and corruption,” Conti said. He called on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Congress to develop safeguards.
He added: “The Filipino family is under siege – from debt, digital manipulation, and unchecked advertising. It’s time we drew the line. We cannot allow profit to come at the cost of broken homes and lost futures,” he said.
