Archbishop Cruz: Check links between gambling, drug trade

MANILA, Philippines — Anti-gambling crusader and Catholic Archbishop Oscar Cruz said severe gambling problems may be related to the illegal drug trade and asked authorities to look into it.

Cruz, founder of the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, hinted that pathological gamblers needs money to finance their "unquenchable gambling addiction." He also added that the illegal drug trade and pathological gambling have one thing in common: The quest for money.

Cruz stated that there are certain pairings of crimes or people that can mutually benefit from each other.

“Why not pathological gamblers and illegal drug promoters, whereby the former sell what the latter have to offer?” Cruz said.

“There are illegal drug searches in practically any neighborhood. Why not try looking for verifiable illegal drug connections among inveterate gamblers and illegal drug providers?” he added.

Catholic bishops have voiced concerns over the spread of government-sanctioned gambling through casinos, some of which may have wrecked many families.

They also said that large-scale gambling has been linked to organized crime.

“Yet, they continue to thrive, government sanctions them and their operators and owners continue to enrich themselves,” the bishops said in a statement dated March 28, 2016.

The bishops added that they are alarmed in the lukewarmness of the part of government and civil society (in) dealing with these forms of high-stakes, high-risk gambling.