Online Gambling Regulation? Cardinal Ambo Says No
CHURCH VS ONLINE GAMBLING – Cardinal Pablo “Ambo” David has voiced his strong disagreement with proposals to regulate and legalize online gambling in the Philippines.
Speaking during the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE) XI on July 18, Cardinal Ambo shared that he recently received a letter from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), explaining why it should be made legal. PAGCOR argued that banning it completely only keeps it underground, where the government loses potential income. They claimed that legalizing and regulating online gambling could help generate much-needed funds for public services.
But Cardinal Ambo wasn’t convinced. He questioned how PAGCOR could effectively stop young people from accessing gambling websites, saying he doubts their promised control systems would work. “You really believe that? Ewan ko lang. Digital natives, kakayanin mo ‘yan makontrol?” he said.
The Cardinal strongly believes that gambling is harmful and shouldn’t be treated like any other business. “Well, ang sabi ko, I am sorry but I do not agree that you can regulate something criminal. It is criminal through and through,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Akbayan Party-list has filed a bill proposing regulations for online gambling platforms instead of an outright ban. Congressman Chel Diokno explained that regulating these platforms would allow the government to monitor activities more closely and control gambling better. He said banning it completely would only make the problem harder to track and solve.
Despite these arguments, Cardinal Ambo stood firm in his opposition. For him, gambling—whether online or not—should not be treated as an acceptable source of government revenue. Instead, he sees it as a serious issue that hurts many people, especially the youth. He believes that no amount of regulation can make it safe or acceptable.
Related Post: Javi Benitez Opposes Online Gambling Ban