The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) recently strongly condemned the government's support for online gambling, denouncing the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for "whitewashing evil deeds" and calling for a complete end to this "social cancer disguised as entertainment".
Archbishop Pablo Virgilio David, chairman of the CBCP, stated in an open letter to PAGCOR chairman Andrea Domingo, "Responsible online gambling is a false proposition." He emphasized that online gambling, being available 24/7, anonymous, and accessible everywhere, makes regulation almost impossible and fails to protect minors and vulnerable groups from harm.
Archbishop David questioned, "How can you say that moving casinos into everyone's mobile phones protects the people? Isn't that absurd?" He sharply criticized the government for profiting from gambling revenues at the expense of family breakdowns and personal degradation, stating, "No amount of tax revenue is worth sacrificing so many people's lives."
The bishops also criticized social platforms and celebrities endorsing gambling, accusing them of glamorizing gambling as fashionable and misleading young people's values, which is a betrayal of social responsibility. Regarding PAGCOR's argument that banning gambling would only push it underground, the bishops denounced this as "an excuse for indulging in sin" and called on the government to strengthen law enforcement, promote digital literacy education, and build community support systems to eradicate gambling addiction.
"When the nation chooses to trade moral decline for financial gain, we must ask: what kind of future are we building for the next generation?" the bishop warned, emphasizing that any policy should center on "human dignity" rather than "financial revenue".
