Online gambling a health issue, says DOH head
During an interview at the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) National Mayors' Forum 2025 in SMX Aura on Wednesday, Herbosa said he believes addressing online gambling is a health issue.
'Parang pag-open mo ng cellphone mo may gambling na agad, open ka ng social media mo may gambling advertisement. So sa akin, mental health issue ito. It's still a health issue,' he shared.
The Health Secretary added that gambling could affect a person's capacity to perform his or her job or can even cause harm, which was why he agreed that online gambling must be strictly regulated or banned totally.
'Kung hindi ka makatrabaho… dahil na-discover ko nga sa road safety, yung mga bus driver kaya pala naa-accident, buong gabi nagga-gambling. Tapos magdadrive, napupuyat kasusugal. So naapektuhan pa, may namamatay pa dahil sa tutulog-tulog,' he continued.
(It could prevent you from working properly… what I discovered regarding road safety, bus drivers get into accidents because they have been gambling ll night. Then they would drive after not getting enough rest. There is an effect, there have been deaths because they fell asleep.)
Earlier, lawmakers from Congress have pushed for an outright ban on online gambling, stating that it was an epidemic that "threatens the soul of the nation."
"Online gambling is not just a vice—it is a virus. It is an addiction that eats away at the moral fiber of our society. It erodes the values we teach our children, and it devastates the finances of Filipino families," House Bill 1876 author Manila Representative Benny Abante in a press conference.
Digital finance companies also echoed the lawmakers' calls for regulation or a total ban, seeking for further protection for Filipino consumers and mitigation of the risks in relation to e-gambling.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he will be studying calls on the ban on online gambling, including it's possible effects on the Philippine economy and its residents. — RF, GMA Integrated News
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