Group sees increasing trend of students engaging in online gambling

A research group on Tuesday said advertisements had resulted in the increase of the number of students who are engage in online gambling activities.

Lawyer Nicasio Conti, CEO of Capstone-Intel Corporation, said that Congress should address gambling addiction by passing a law that bans all forms of online gambling advertisements, similar to Italy’s landmark “Dignity Decree.”

“We are seeing a disturbing trend: college students gambling away their allowances, minimum-wage earners hooked on online bingo, and influencers normalizing betting as entertainment,” Conti said in a press release.

“This is not innovation — it’s exploitation,'' Conti added.

Conti said that under Italy’s Decreto Dignità (Dignity Decree), all forms of gambling promotion are prohibited, with violators facing steep penalties of up to €50,000 per violation.

He said the law has been credited with helping to reduce youth gambling rates and strengthening public awareness of gambling addiction.

Conti urged Philippine lawmakers to introduce a measure, which will prohibit all direct and indirect gambling ads on digital, print, and broadcast platforms as well as ban gambling sponsorships in professional and amateur sports.

Meanwhile, Conti also proposed using gambling tax revenues to fund addiction treatment as well as awareness campaign across the country.

“This is not an attack on gambling per se. This is about protecting children, the poor, and the digitally vulnerable from a highly manipulative industry. We can regulate the game — but let’s stop glamorizing it,'' Conti said.

Earlier, Conti urged PAGCOR, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Department of Information and Communications Technology, as well as the Congress to work together to establish safeguards similar to those adopted in other developed nations where online gambling is regulated.

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will study the proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF) to impose tax on online gaming.

The DOF is eyeing to propose a tax on online gaming as well as other policies to curb unrestricted access to gambling, including digital gambling platforms.

Recently, several lawmakers filed bills banning the promotion of online gambling and its linkage to electronic wallets (e-wallets). — BAP, GMA Integrated News