Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions during a forum with the members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila on September 24, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>)— The government should be able to make sure online gambling operators will not just go underground in case of a ban on it, Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero said on Wednesday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/29/pangilinan-wants-inquiry-into-dangerous-normalization-of-online-gambling-1102"><strong>Pangilinan wants inquiry into online gambling after Marcos skips issue in SONA 2025</strong></a></div><p>Speaking on ANC, Escudero said he agrees with a prospective ban but that &quot;the concern is how to prevent the illegal side of it.&quot;</p><p>To drive home the point, Escudero cited a photo of a congressman apparently watching an e-sabong or online cockfight match — <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/22/duterte-orders-end-of-e-sabong-operations">now illegal</a> — during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s State of the Nation Address last Monday.</p><p>&quot;Matagal nang bawal ang e-sabong bakit may ganoon pa hanggang ngayon within the halls of Congress itself,&quot; he said.</p><p>(E-sabong has been banned a long time, how come it still exists? And within the halls of Congress itself)</p><p>Regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has cautioned against banning online gambling because of the potential loss of revenues. Defenders of online gambling have also said a ban would only lead to illicit operations.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/17/recovering-online-gambling-addict-says-he-lost-over-p1-million-1926?fbclid=IwY2xjawL1C2VleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0bDRqdzFSVHV3MnlCeXljAR4RoEgAd7D9Tr3Aqp9gDFCvplxmhmSKMSUsN8qIJTa1bT_y0xqdZeq3oz73YQ_aem_-riytKcj2zIUVgktYjSfww"><strong>Recovering online gambling addict says he lost over P1 million</strong></a></div><p>&quot;We might be facing the same evil but this time all being performed underground and in the dark corners of our country outside the light,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>Marcos Jr. was under pressure to address online gambling in his address to the nation last Monday..</p><p>Some <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/lawmakers-regret-absence-of-legislated-wage-hike-online-gambling-in-marcos-sona-2339">lawmakers</a> and even the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/cbcp-rues-marcos-sona-silence-on-online-gambling-2212">Catholic Bishops&#x27; Conference of the Philippines expressed dismay</a> when he skipped the issue in his fourth SONA.</p><p>On Wednesday, several senators again blasted online gambling and called for swift action to address the social ills it causes.</p><p>&quot;According to statistics from the World Casino Directory, the Philippines now holds the dubious honor of being the gambling capital of Asia—hindi na po Macau, hindi na po Singapore. We are now the gambling capital of Asia, with 79 licensed casinos operating in the country. We have bested even Cambodia with its 48 casinos, and Macau with only 47,&quot; said Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.</p><p>&quot;Nakakahiya po ito… Ito ba ang gusto ng ating Pangulo na maging legasiya niya paglabas po niya nitong 2028, pagbaba po niya sa tungkulin bilang Pangulo?&quot; he added. -- <strong>with a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a2aUXXYpdc0?&amp;t=2s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"Matagal nang bawal ang e-sabong bakit may ganoon pa hanggang ngayon within the halls of Congress itself," Escudero told ANC.</p>

"Matagal nang bawal ang e-sabong bakit may ganoon pa hanggang ngayon within the halls of Congress itself," Escudero told ANC.

Chiz: Solon watching sabong at SONA shows challenge of banning gambling

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Chiz: Solon watching sabong at SONA shows challenge of banning gambling

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 30, 2025 01:19 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 30, 2025 07:06 PM PHT

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