CATHOLIC Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Cardinal Pablo David on Friday, September 5, 2025, slammed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) for playing a key role in the prevalence of online gambling addiction in the country.
In a social media post, David said it is unacceptable that Pagcor continues to push for online gambling, which leads to widespread addiction.
"Pagcor is violating its own charter. Can you imagine a government agency now acting as the biggest pusher of online addiction?" said David.
He said online gambling must be totally banned in the country.
"All forms of online gambling should be outlawed!" said the Cardinal.
"I pray that some concerned citizens petition the Supreme Court to declare a TRO (temporary restraining order) on all Pagcor-accredited online gambling sites," added David.
In recent weeks, David has been an outspoken critic of the proliferation of online gambling in the country, saying it is now accessible to people of all ages without even going to casinos.
The CBCP also described online gambling as a "deep and pervasive moral problem, disguised in the guise of entertainment and technology." (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
