Philippine Congressman Brian Poe Llamanzares recently called on the "At the Forefront" program of the "Bilyonaryo News Channel" to strengthen the regulation of online gambling, especially to completely "strip the gambling function from e-wallets and financial apps" to prevent young people from becoming addicted due to convenience.
He pointed out that if gambling is banned rashly, it may prompt the gambling market to go underground, making regulation more difficult, and emphasized that the lax enforcement of existing laws allows illegal gambling to continue. He advocates for an investigation and rectification first, then considering the method of regulation, partly because online gambling generates significant tax revenue for the government, and directly banning it could impact the finances.
As the son of former Senator Grace Poe, Llamanzares focused on the impact of online gambling on society in his first proposal in the House of Representatives. He warned that today's financial technology apps and gambling platforms are "seamlessly integrated," allowing users to bet simply by selecting "yes" or "no," which is too reckless and highly risky.
"Gambling must not be made easily accessible," he stated seriously, "We must cut off the financial channels between e-wallets and gambling platforms!" He questioned why existing laws have not been able to block black market gambling and demanded that the government initiate a comprehensive investigation, amend laws, and plug loopholes to prevent gambling features from infiltrating technology apps.
In the context of youth addiction and the misuse of technology, his remarks are seen as an important signal for pushing regulatory policy adjustments.
