His Eminence, Pablo Virgilio S. Cardinal David, D.D., Bishop of Kalookan —Photo from CBCP
MANILA, Philippines — “No tax revenue is worth the shattered lives, families, and futures lost to gambling addiction.”
This is the statement of Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David on Wednesday as a response to the letter addressed to him by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) as it responded to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) denouncement of the proliferation of online gambling in the country.
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The CBCP has remained firm on its stance to condemn the grave impacts of online gambling to many Filipinos, particularly to the youth. It also called on the government to ban all forms of online gambling as it described the growing addiction as a “moral crisis” affecting the country.
READ: Church stands firm vs online gambling, insists on total ban
In a Facebook post, David shared the July 3 letter of Pagcor where it assured David that the Pagcor and its licensees “are actively promoting responsible gaming because it is only by enduring the health and safety of our players that the gaming industry can be sustainable.”
While Pagcor assured David that it is not neglecting its duties and responsibilities, it noted that “the social risks associated with gambling can be addressed or effectively through a multi-sectoral approach because this is not a challenge that any single entity can solve by itself.”
In response, David acknowledged that addressing the gambling’s adverse impacts to the country requires a “whole-of-society approach” but he emphasized that the moral obligation lies within the government to not profit from gambling.
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“When the government acts as a promoter, regulator, and beneficiary of gambling revenues, it becomes complicit in the very harm it claims to guard against,” David wrote.
‘Not a necessity’
Pagcor noted that the shift to digital paradigm of consumer behavior since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the agency to expand its jurisdiction over online gambling by providing guidelines that protest the welfare of both players.
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However, David stressed that “gambling is not a basic necessity” even when the world turns into a digital paradigm, emphasizing that “it is a vice that profits precisely from human vulnerability and loss.”
On the other hand, David hit the accessibility of online gambling sites to children. In its letter, Pagcor said that as it enforces a regulatory framework for accreditation of service providers where it requires basic information.
“If there are children who can access online gambling sites, there is a high probability that those sites are the illegal ones, or that minors could be using player accounts belonging to adults in the family,” Pagcor said.
But David said that the agency admitted that the children can still manage and access gambling sites, whether legal or illegal.
“This fact alone shows how unenforceable online age barriers really are. Unlike physical casinos, the home itself becomes the gambling venue — hidden from parents and guardians.
READ: Marcos still evaluating impact of online gambling — Palace
Lastly, David reaffirmed CBCP’s commitment to protecting the people from the dreadful effects of gambling, especially the poor and the youth.
He also raised this question: “What future do we build when we normalize and dress it up as entertainment?”
During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Marcos did not mention online gambling despite roaring calls for its total ban. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro explained that there was no “missed opportunity” for Marcos to address the issue as he continues to assess its fate in the country.
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Ever since the start of the 20th Congress, several lawmakers have filed bills seeking the online gambling’s total ban. /cb