House probe vs online gambling urged

A LAWMAKER on Wednesday filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to probe online gambling activities as part of efforts to curb its harmful effects on Filipinos.

Party-list Rep. Nathaniel M. Oducado filed House Resolution No. 42 to provide gambling stakeholders a formal platform to share insights that could guide lawmakers in crafting measures to regulate or ban online gaming in the Philippines.

“There’s a clear need for stronger surveillance, mandatory reporting and expanded rehabilitation services targeting online gambling harm,” he said in a statement.

Momentum is building among lawmakers to impose stricter regulations on the country’s online gambling industry, as concerns over its socioeconomic impact intensify.

“It’s about time we began investigating the crippling effects of online gambling on society, especially illegal or unregulated online gambling,” Party-list Rep. Brian Daniel P. Llamanzares said in a separate statement.

“Reports indicate a sharp rise in gambling-related debt, family strife, school dropouts, and mental health issues linked to unregulated online platforms,” he added.

Also on Wednesday, Mr. Oducado submitted House Resolution No. 43, seeking a congressional probe over the implementation of a vape regulation law to help policymakers plug regulatory gaps in the industry.

He said that widespread availability of wave products and the lack of health warnings make people vulnerable to using them despite known health risks.

“There should be a national campaign focusing on awareness to address misconceptions that vaping is safe, as well as banning advertisements enticing the youth to become vape users,” he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio