The Wager We Never Voted For: Gambling, Governance, and the Price of Our Children’s Futures
Photo by Bilyonaryo
In an article by Asia Sentinel, Jun Burgos asserts the importance of addressing the online gambling problem in the Philippines, particularly among youth.
The numbers gleam — ₱112 billion (US$1.95 billion) annually from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the country’s third largest contributor of government revenue after the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs. The government reaps another ₱62.35 billion from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
It comes at enormous hidden social cost, leading to financial crises and mental health issues. Behind every press release lies a child skipping school, a parent chasing phantom riches, a family unraveling in silence. This is not prosperity. This is a wager the country never voted for.
The Philippines ranks first globally in gaming penetration, with 43 million players in a population of 116.8 million, and with 97 percent of internet users aged 16–64 engaging with games. But policy lags dangerously. There are no national age-verification protocols, no ethical design standards, and no integrated rehabilitation network and precious little aid for the gaming addicted.
