Senator Lito Lapid expressed concern over the proliferation of advertisements of online gambling on different social media platforms in the country.
According to Lapid, chairman of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusements, young people who are exposed early to social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok risk becoming addicted to online gambling. This could also harm their values and morality if the government fails to act on it.
Financial technology (FinTech) or mobile wallet services, such as GCash, PayMaya and others platforms could also be exploited for gambling.
“If the youth are getting away with playing online gambling, how can we raise them well and with good values in life. It is sad that our youth good manners will be destroyed by this bad habit and they may even bet their pocket money in school. If worse gets worst, they might learn to steal, like the characters in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” said Lapid.
The Senator added that it is very easy to install applications on cellphones and other mobile devices for online gambling. This is often overlooked by parents. It is also very easy or accessible to register because only name and age are required.
Among the online gambling that young people are obsessed with today are poker, roulette, color games and others like in casino.
Because of this, the Senator will file a resolution seeking the committee to investigate the illegal gambling online and formulate a law to prevent or suppress it.
