Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking to regulate online gambling in a bid to curb the growing addiction of many Filipinos to such vice, which has led to numerous social ills.

“Maraming pamilya ang nasira ang kinabukasan dahil sa online gambling, na lalo pang pinadali ng mga e-wallet — halimbawa na lang ang Scatter,” said Gatchalian, as he filed Senate Bill ___ for the 20th Congress.

“Due to its accessibility, online gambling activities have magnified the dangers from gambling and have been linked to the erosion of our moral fibers, as it has caused an increase in mental health problems, financial problems, addictive behavior, vices, and crime rates,” he added.

Recent headlines also reveal the connection between the 34 missing sabungeros, who were reportedly dumped in Taal Lake in Batangas, and illegal e-sabong operations.

The measure bans gambling sponsorships of public events and campaign donations. It likewise mandates regulators to allocate a portion of collected regulatory fees toward the establishment of gambling addiction rehabilitation centers and sets a minimum cash-in requirement of ₱10,000 to discourage impulsive and easy access to gambling platforms.