By Robert B. Roque Jr.
A glimmer of hope shone from Malacañang when President Marcos called out online gambling’s terrible impact on the Filipino family. “Many families are being destroyed because of this, especially when the gambling is not done responsibly,” he acknowledged.
This corner expects that this is not just lip service.
Online gambling in the country has become a runaway horse, and that’s largely because the government has kept the stable doors wide open. In this scenario, even children are exposed to betting ads and downloading the apps.
They are introduced somewhat as family games and endorsed in big billboards by known actors and celebrities. There have been many stories of paydays rolling into the night of vanishing salaries, sinking families into debt under the glow of a smartphone screen.
Yes, this deserves the attention of the President, not as “just” a moral issue, but a national emergency. Let’s buckle down to truth-telling of the situation and why this is a bigger problem than one solved by a 9-1-1 call to PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III.
Online gambling is not solved by a few big-time raids like you would with illegal gambling houses. That used to be all for show and was effective in stopping illegal vices for a few weeks or months.
But now, gambling has developed into a full spectrum: illegal, digital, franchised, offshore, and government-enabled. It’s no longer enough to crack down on small-time operators when legitimate channels for siphoning Filipinos’ hard-earned money are sanctioned, taxed, and defended by government agencies.
Just look at Finance Secretary Ralph Recto. While families fall apart and addiction rises, he’s out here “weighing” options like stock listings and tax schemes — as if the main goal is to monetize the damage, not stop it. It reeks of justification, not protection.
So here’s the real bet: Will Marcos walk the talk? Or is this just a pre-SONA soundbite meant to pacify a nation hemorrhaging from state-tolerated vices?
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