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Comedian-hosts Lassy Marquez and MC "Muah" Calaquian recently opened up about their painful history with gambling, admitting they lost more than PhP10 million due to their addiction.

In a candid interview with actress Toni Gonzaga on Toni Talks, the It's Showtime personalities shared how their destructive habit started, initially as a coping mechanism after the loss of their parents.

According to MC, it all started when someone invited him to a casino after a comedy bar performance, suggesting it might help take his mind off things.

MC recalled how the addiction began following his mother's death due to cancer, adding that his father had also already passed away.

"Ako nauna kasi uuwi ako after ng comedy bar. Saan ako pupunta? Baka hindi ako makatulog. So, may naghikayat sa 'kin. Sabi niya, 'Ito o para maaliw ka,' sa casino. Iba ang saya 'pag papunta ka pa lang doon, masaya. 'Tapos kapag natalo ka na, pauwi, doon ka magsisisi. 'Tapos hanggang babawi ako, babalik, kailangan kong bumawi. 'Ah kaunti lang ito, PhP50,000, kaya itong bawiin, isang jackpot lang. Ay, PhP100,000, kaya pa ito. PhP200,000, 300,000, 500,000 na,” he said.

Lassy shared that their visits to the casino became more frequent and intense, often stretching into the next day.

"Diretso kami [sa casino] nang madaling-araw, aabutin ng umaga, tanghali, hapon. Uuwi lang, maliligo, show ulit. Ganun nangyayari. Minsan iidlip lang ako nang 30 minutes, show ulit," Lassy said.

The two recalled pushing through shows, tapings, and film shoots on zero sleep due to their obsession with gambling.

"Minsan, wala kaming tulog, pumapasok kami sa comedy bar, nagte-taping kami, nagshoo-shooting kami, walang tulog. Ganoon kami kaadik sa pagsusugal noon," MC added.

Toni asked if they had really lost over PhP10 million, MC admitted it might have been even more, all within the years 2011 to 2016.

"Minsan, nagsugal kami halos araw-araw, gabi-gabi. Hindi kami proud dito kaya kinekwento namin 'to para kung sakaling, maging lesson at kapag nasa [mismong] situation na kayo, walang panalo, lalo na kapag nakikita mo bank account mo," he said.

MC revealed that their biggest single-night loss amounted to PhP800,000.

Eventually, the turning point came. MC shared that they made the decision to stop going to casinos and began saving seriously in 2018, with the goal of buying a house.

“Gusto ko nang ayusin ang buhay ko. Gusto ko nang magkaroon ng bahay. [Noong] 2018 nagsimula ako na nag-ipon nang nag-ipon,” he said.

For Lassy, the mounting financial strain and growing debts forced a moment of reckoning.

"Inisip ko na lang na talo naman ako. Ayoko na. Naapektuhan na rin ang mga bayarin ko. Napunta na ako sa pangungutang at pagsasanla ng mga alahas ko, e, mahilig ako sa alahas," Lassy quipped.

MC, on the other hand, realized that they were approaching their late 30s with little to show for years of work, and that wake-up call pushed them to change.

"Paano ko mababawi eh that time, mga 36 or 37 years old na ako. Paano na? Kapag nasa lowest point ka ng buhay mo na alam mong kasalanan mo, ayaw mong sermonan ka kasi alam mo na," MC said.

Both MC and Lassy agreed that taking control of their gambling addiction was a major turning point in their lives.

"Ngayon lang namin ulit nakuha 'yung financial freedom na tinatawag. Hindi ba, 'yung wala kang iniisip, matutulog ka wala kang iisipin. Iisipin mo na lang 'oh paano pa maging matino ang buhay mo, saan ka magpo-focus ngayon," MC said.

Meanwhile, here are some celebrities who sought rehab services to reclaim their lives