City Councilors urged to lessen approval of ‘gambling permits’

A CAGAYAN de Oro City councilor is urging his colleagues to minimize the approval of resolutions that are in favor of gambling operators in the city.

Councilor Edgar Cabanlas said Tuesday he is not totally against other forms of games.

However, he said the City Government must not allow the mushrooming of bet games in the city, especially those unregulated, citing that this might contribute to the development of “a mentality of gambling,” especially on children.

On Tuesday, a businessman has applied for a permit at the City Council for “poker games” in his establishment, which he said would be exclusive for Masons, Eagles and Rotarians.

But Cabanlas said aside from poker being one form of gambling that is not regulated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the location of the businessman’s establishment is near a school and a church, which he claimed is against a city ordinance.

“If these easy making money games would continue to exist, then the children would have a notion that gambling is okay because the City Government has tolerated it. There are already several existing poker houses and e-bingo in the city. Let us give ourselves for some moratorium against these forms of gambling,” he said.

City Councilor Adrian Barba said he agreed with Cabanlas but assured that once the businessman’s application is approved, poker will only be played at night and no children would be allowed to go inside the establishment.

Barba said the businessman has already complied with all the requirements, including the safety of the players.

But even with Cabanlas’ argument, at least 11 city councilors approved the businessman’s application.