Marcos won't oppose proposals preventing online gambling addiction—Palace
President Marcos will not oppose any measure seeking to address gambling addiction among Filipinos, including the imposition of new tax on online gambling operators, Malacañang said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Mark Balmores/MANILA BULLETIN)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos wants to limit gambling in the country and prevent further addiction to it.
“[G]usto nating limitahan ang ganitong klaseng mga pagsusugal at mabawasan ang mga gumon sa sugal at ito po ay para sa taumbayan at ang lahat ng puwedeng suggestion at maaaring batas para ito ay masawata, hindi naman po iyan tututulan ng ating Pangulo (We want to limit this kind of gambling and reduce the number of people addicted to it, and this is for the benefit of the public. Any suggestions or possible laws to curb it will not be opposed by our President),” Castro said in a Palace briefing on Monday, July 7.
The President would also study the proposal to outright ban or impose tighter regulations on online gambling operators and e-wallets.
“[A]ng Pangulo po ay nakikinig kung anong nangyayari sa ating mga kababayan at kung anuman po ang bill na ipapasa nila, ito’y pag-aaralang mabuti kung ito’y makakabuti sa ating ekonomiya and at the same time makakabuti para sa taumbayan (The President is listening to what is happening to our fellow citizens, and whatever bill they pass will be carefully studied to see if it will benefit our economy and, at the same time, be good for the people),” Castro said.
On the proposal to impose a new tax on online gaming operators, Castro said the President is aware that the new tax would restrict online gambling considering its possible impact to individuals.
Castro reiterated that the President will not oppose such measure, as long as it would be thoroughly studied.
The Palace official also assured the public that government efforts will be intensified to fight illegitimate or unregistered online gaming sites.