A LAWMAKER from Cebu has filed a bill seeking to prohibit advertisements and marketing for online gambling.
Third District Rep. Karen Hope Garcia’s House Bill 10982, or the proposed Online Gambling Advertising Prohibition Act of 2026, seeks to ban online gambling advertisements, promotions, endorsements and sponsorships on social media, television, radio, print, billboards, websites and mobile applications.
The measure would also prohibit promotions by social media influencers, content creators, affiliate marketers, celebrities and vloggers.
Garcia’s proposal joins several bills filed in the 20th Congress seeking to restrict or prohibit online gambling advertising
Scope of ban
Garcia said the proposed ban would not cover legal and licensed forms of gambling, including casinos, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lotteries and sweepstakes, horse racing and licensed cockpits.
“Nobody asked for a casino on their phone, open 24 hours a day. It got there through an ad on a livestream, a bonus code passed around on social media, a famous influencer telling our youth that the odds are in their favor,” she said.
The bill cites the financial risks of gambling, including losses that can push players into poverty and debt.
Health concerns
The World Health Organization said gambling can harm health, contribute to financial distress and lead to gambling disorder. Its December 2024 fact sheet also cited the rapid spread of gambling through commercialization, digitization, sponsorships and marketing.
The WHO recommends ending gambling advertising, promotions and sponsorships as part of population-wide measures to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm.
Garcia also cited Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. data showing that the electronic and online gaming segment generated P201.12 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025. It accounted for 50.77 percent of the Philippine gaming industry’s P396.14 billion in total gross gaming revenue and surpassed licensed casinos as the largest contributor.
“Every peso of that growth came from an ad, a sponsorship, or an influencer post that reached someone’s son, someone’s father, someone’s breadwinner,” Garcia said.
Penalties
Under the bill, violators could face fines ranging from P500,000 to P10 million, cancellation of their licenses and imprisonment of up to three years.
Public figures who endorse gambling could also be ordered to disgorge payments they received and be barred from gambling endorsements for three to five years.
Platforms, media companies, advertising technology firms and other entities that violate the proposed law could be fined up to P50,000 per day and face possible license revocation.
The bill would also tighten age and identity verification requirements for online gambling accounts. / ANV
