Ban online gambling, Filipino bishops ask Marcos government
MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) appealed to the Marcos government to ban all forms of online gambling, which bishops called “a deep and widespread moral crisis” plaguing this mostly Christian country.
In a statement issued at the end of their 130th plenary assembly, the CBCP said it is “gravely concerned” because of the “new plague or virus that is destroying individuals, families, and society.” They said this moral ill “is quietly spreading and causing widespread slavery.”
“It is clear that online gambling is no longer just a simple pastime. It is a deep and pervasive moral problem, hidden in the guise of entertainment and technology,” said Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the CBCP, in a statement on behalf of the conference.
“And even if this type of entertainment is recognized as part of ‘human rights,’ it still does not mean that it is right, especially when it causes the destruction of many of our countrymen. Addiction to online gambling is a clear form of slavery,” David added.
The CBCP statement was issued in the native language, Filipino, instead of the usual English, in an attempt to reach out to the poorest communities.
The statement was approved by bishops during their 130th plenary assembly in the central Philippine province of Bohol during the weekend, and was released to the public on Tuesday.
The conference is composed of 87 active bishops, 38 retired members, and three priest-administrators, overseeing the Church in this country of nearly 86 million Catholics.
David, 66, has repeatedly voiced concern about online gambling, stating in mid-June that this is “a new mental health crisis plaguing our country today.” During the Chrism Mass this year, he also urged priests “to bring liberation to those who are languishing in the dark prison cells of addiction,” including addiction to online gambling.
In the CBCP statement, David emphasized that online gambling “is not innocent” and “is intentionally made to be attractive, especially to young people and ordinary citizens.” He said celebrities are even used to promote online gambling.
“But unknown to us, this system is designed to catch people in the net of gambling addiction and to get them addicted to what they think is an innocent game and short-term entertainment,” the cardinal said.
He said that when it comes to gambling, “the conscience seems to gradually become numb,” and people “are conditioned to think that it is just ‘normal entertainment’ or ‘fun.’”
David, however, quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that “gambling is wrong if it leads to addiction or to the depletion of what should be for the needs of the family.”
The sad thing, according to him, is the silence of many in the face of this moral and societal problem. He linked this silence to the profits gained from online gambling: P154 billion ($2.73 billion) in 2024 alone, which is a 165 percent increase from 2023.
The Church itself, in many cases, also remains silent regarding this problem.
“Why do many in the media, the government, and the business world seem to be silent? Could it be because many of them are also benefiting from it? Currently, it is noticeable that online gambling is not receiving much attention in the media, is legalized by the government, is heavily funded by gambling entrepreneurs, and is operated by online platforms because of the huge profits from it,” David said.
The cardinal then called on various sectors, aside from the government, to help address this problem.
David, for example, appealed to the media to “stop the romanticization of gambling and show its real effects.” He also asked parishes “to be active in helping individuals and families affected by gambling, and not to remain silent or passive.”
“The Church is not against any kind of entertainment or recreation. But when pleasure becomes a cause of slavery, and ‘entertainment’ becomes a cause of the destruction of life, we need to make appeals and issue warnings,” David said.
The Philippine Catholic Church has long fought against gambling in this predominantly Catholic country.
One notable instance was when Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin denounced President Joseph Estrada, an actor-turned-politician, for his alleged links to gambling. Estrada was eventually removed from office after a Church-backed uprising in 2001.