Tulfo joins senators for total ban on online gambling

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo joined the growing number of senators pushing for an outright ban on online gambling, calling it an “addiction epidemic” that targets the poor and the youth.

In a press briefing yesterday, Tulfo expressed alarm over complaints that bus and jeepney drivers were caught playing “scatter” even while ferrying passengers, posing safety risks and deepening their financial woes.

“We have an epidemic of gambling, and it’s about time we help each other to find a cure,” Tulfo said.

He said he plans to file a bill seeking an outright ban instead of regulating the scheme, which he said would not stop Filipinos from finding creative ways to skirt the rules.

Tulfo urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Advertising Board of the Philippines to immediately take down the highway billboards and other promotional materials of online gambling, instead of waiting for the Aug. 15 deadline.

“More people will get addicted between now and Aug. 15. Why wait when we can do it now to stop the problem from worsening?” Tulfo said.

The forgone revenues from the gambling ban can be recovered by realigning budgetary items for social welfare programs funded by online gambling proceeds, according to Tulfo.

A bill banning online gambling should also target online payment services so that digital wallets would no longer be used to easily place bets, Tulfo said.

Among the senators against online gambling are Pia Cayetano, Alan Peter Cayetano, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Joel Villanueva.