5 days ago
Cardinal David: Online Gambling Is ‘Modern Slavery,' Calls for Total Ban
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), stood firm on the Church's call for a full ban on online gambling, rejecting Pagcor's push for tighter regulation instead. Speaking at the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization on July 18, David said the social damage caused by gambling far outweighs the financial gains for the government.
He revealed that Pagcor chair Alejandro Tengco had written to the CBCP to argue that banning online gambling would lead to lost revenue for state social programs. In response, David criticized the logic, sarcastically saying that by the same reasoning, the government should also legalize harmful drugs like shabu just to earn money.
David questioned the claim that access to online gambling can be controlled, especially among tech-savvy youth, and said that addiction to gambling—like addiction to social media—destroys families and erodes social bonds. He emphasized that such addiction is a form of 'modern slavery,' and the Church must be a space where people can find healing and community.
Pagcor says the industry brings in over ₱100 billion in revenue and supports thousands of jobs. Still, David said profits should never justify enabling addiction, especially among vulnerable people. President Marcos has not yet declared an official position on the issue.
