Betting on bitter ends

Perhaps the jackpot is just one more click away.

Unfortunately, that may just be one of a million cases of a silent but looming threat—not a drug nor a disease, but its grip on the mind and wallet can be just as destructive. On the surface, a game of chance appears to do little to no harm, but once money enters the equation, one simply couldn’t miss the opportunity to try their luck. 

The stakes turn high—gradually high enough to lose sight of the plummet down below. 

Gambling is defined by Britannica as “the betting or staking of something of value, with consciousness of risk and hope of gain.” The value in question, in most cases, is currency—in which dealers, machines, or systems charge a participant for the opportunity to play and earn a chance at returns more favourable than the initial wager, otherwise spend more than one can profit. Gambling comes in many different forms, such as lotteries, slot machines, casino games, among others. 

The Philippines has been recognized among the gambling hotspots in Southeast Asia, alongside nations such as Singapore and Macau. However, the nation’s gambling industry reached a new peak in the 2020s, where online gambling, also known as e-gambling, became a recent trend. These platforms feature a wide selection of games, such as poker, blackjack, and e-sabong (online cockfighting), leaving users glued to their screens for a long period of time, in hopes of winning something of value. 

The e-gambling industry now comprises half of the total gross gaming revenue of P214.75 billion, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and sees triple-digit growth on a monthly basis. E-gambling has flourished as Filipinos are exposed to all kinds of gambling advertisements. Digital payment platforms linked to these e-gambling apps and sites have also made it convenient for players, allowing them to play and top up on their devices anytime. 

Celebrity endorsements for apps such as Bingo Plus, Arena Plus, and OKBet have also contributed to the popularity of e-gambling, enticing the masses by making harmless impressions on TV and mobile ads, directly or indirectly encouraging viewers to join in on the “fun gameplay,” with the “promise” of winning a large sum of cash. Over 15 top celebrities in the Philippines are involved in gambling advertisements, whether directly or indirectly, according to Cagayan De Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. 

As of July 17, there are 64 gaming system administrators and 12 online gaming platforms that are PAGCOR-accredited. While PAGCOR maintains to balance industry expansion with responsible gaming standards, the facts show that gambling, in the absence of proper guardrails and regulatory frameworks, becomes an unguarded strength that counteracts as a double weakness.

A 2025 study shows that between 1 to 4 percent of adult Filipinos live with gambling addictions and struggle to break free from the habit due to the temptation of earning. Further research claims that the most vulnerable demographic are individuals from low socio-economic statuses (SES), as they are motivated to ameliorate their financial situation, only to end up draining a large proportion of their income. Unemployment was also associated with gambling tendencies that spiral into addiction, mainly as a coping strategy from job loss. 

Gambling has long been a component of Filipino culture—the practice of cockfighting predates Spanish colonization, and other forms of gambling were eventually introduced by foreign settlers, which formalized over the decades into the betting games played in casinos and other licensed areas today. 

Now, as gambling has spread online, it has been referred to as a “silent epidemic” in the Philippines due to widespread accessibility, lack of age restrictions, alongside the tendency to fall into debt. The consequences of addiction can be felt in all areas of one’s life, and gambling addictions develop no differently than most.

“‘Yong online gambling, para siyang addiction din sa paglalaro ng computer games, kung saan may pagtaas ng dopamine.” says Jehu Laniog, an anthropology professor from Ateneo De Manila University and University of the Philippines Diliman. He explained that the anticipation of winning kept players coming back consistently, especially in regards to e-games. 

“Kung titingnan natin, ‘yon ‘yong nagiging downfall ng mga Pilipinong tumataya sa online gambling, nagsisimula sa paglalagay nila ng maliit na pera katulad ng 50 [pesos], tapos mananalo sila ng 100 [pesos], at most likely tataya ulit nila ‘yon kasi alam nila na by a click of a button, puwede nilang palakihin ‘yong pera nila… Pero ‘yong mga gambling sites, mayroong algorithm ‘yan, like social media… It would entice you to top up more.”

While he noted that anyone has a capacity to develop an addiction to gambling, Mr. Laniog emphasized that the losses usually take the heaviest hit on minimum wage earners who can barely make ends meet for themselves and their families.

“Mangangarap ka na mas umangat sa buhay… to be honest, ‘yong 695 pesos na daily wage, hindi ka mabubuhay non. ‘Pag natalo ka [sa e-game] nang limang libo, sampung libo bilang minimum wage earner, saan ka kukuha ng pambayad non? Kung umutang ka sa GCash, kada araw may penalty ‘yon ‘pag hindi mo nabayaran nang tama. Paano mo mabayaran ngayon ‘yon? Ang gagawin mo, gagawa ka ng paraan para mabayaran mo ‘yon, isa na doon ang magsugal ulit.”

Gambling addictions do not only deal damage inwardly, but also on an interpersonal level, especially if fear of stigmatization and struggle to pay off debts involve family and friends. Gamblers tend to put the trust of their families in a precarious position, especially if it comes to the point where they borrow money from others to pay off their debts and lie to hide their addiction, Mr. Laniog mentioned in Filipino.

Despite the exit of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) after the issuance of Executive Order No. 74, criminal activity linked with gambling also runs rampant to this day. In June, local authorities began investigating a new claim by a whistleblower that 34 missing men involved in e-sabong during the pandemic were murdered and their bodies were dumped in depths of Taal Lake. Moreover, the shift to e-gambling has made it increasingly difficult to track and curb illegal betting operations.

It is clear that gambling addiction has never been a private issue, but a social problem that concerns the general public. Filipino lawmakers have drawn flak over e-gambling and its exacerbating effects. Various bills in the Senate and Congress have been proposed aiming to mitigate the trending issue of e-gambling in the country. 

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri stated that gambling addiction has taken on a new form, one that looks like “a kid with a phone under the covers at 2 a.m., losing the family’s grocery money on an online casino site.” Zuburi introduced Senate Bill 142, which aims to ban the operation of all online gaming platforms, effective within 72 hours if passed. This also extends to banning e-wallets and online payment providers from processing e-game transactions.

On the other hand, Senator Risa Hontiveros proposed the “Kontra E-Sugal Act,” seeking to prohibit e-gambling access for those under 21 years of age, take down e-gambling advertisements, and set betting limits on PAGCOR-operated platforms on a regular basis. Akbayan Representative Chel Diokno produced a counterpart bill to Hontiveros, calling for a whole-of-government approach” to combat the effects of online gambling.

During the Senate hearing on online gambling, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released a directive for all BSP-supervised institutions to remove transaction links to gambling sites within 48 hours. This was met with statements of compliance from GCash and Maya, both digital wallet applications, with the former underscoring their commitment to protecting customer and welfare. 

However, there exist little to no interventional measures on how to tackle the issue of addiction by the root—not limited to gambling, but a variety of unhealthy addictions the Filipino population deal with. 

“Tingin ko, kailangan ng programa kung paano matutulungan ‘yong mga taong ito para ma-manage nila mismo ‘yong kanilang sarili.” Mr. Laniog shared. 

“Sa totoo lang, kung may sapat na kaalaman ang [isang] tao tungkol sa epekto ng gambling, kung nabibigay ng gobyerno ‘yong sapat na pangailangan… kapag kaya niyang i-upgrade ‘yong kanyang buhay habang nagtatrabaho siya, hindi aabot ang maraming Pilipino sa pagkakalulong sa sugal.”

What happens when casinos fit in pockets, and when hope is commodified? Gambling becomes a survival tactic for those the system fails to reach, with the odds already stacked against them. 

But no one should have to bet their future on a spin. If the resources and opportunities would be readily available to help people make better decisions for their future, we would hit the true jackpot—a society where every Filipino can thrive—no luck required.