Duterte agreed, stating that gambling, as a vice, should not be encouraged.
He reminded the public that gambling businesses are designed to profit, not to give away money.
“Kining mga sugal nga ingon ani, ang nagapadagan ani kay mga negosyante. Dili na sila matawag nga negosyante kung malugi na sila. So sa sugal, wala kay makia nga ang gapasugal mapildi. So eventually, kung naa ka diha, gadula ka sa ilang padula, gi-design na ug gihimo na para muginansya sila, dili kay para muhatag sila’g kwarta. So swertehay (These types of gambling are run by businesspeople. They wouldn’t be called businesspeople if they were losing money. In gambling, you’ll never see the one running the game lose. So eventually, if you’re there playing their game, it’s designed and created for them to profit, not to give you money. It’s all about luck),” Duterte said, reminding bettors to be responsible in engaging in this kind of activity which is addictive.
While he is not against operators, Duterte emphasized the need to limit how online gambling is promoted.
“OK lang mana. Wala may kaso kung naga-exist gyud na nga butang. Ang ato ginastoryaan diri kay ang extent kung paunsa siya gina-promote (That’s okay. There’s no issue with the fact that it exists. What we’re talking about here is the extent of how it’s being promoted),” he said.
Duterte also compared this effort to the government’s regulation of cigarette advertising, suggesting that the city could follow a similar approach in curbing online gambling ads. He noted that in some countries, cigarette packaging does not even display brands, only the manufacturer’s name, making it generic.
The mayor is aware of the societal and mental health impacts of gambling addiction, which has become a growing concern in Davao City, particularly with the rise of online gambling and sports betting sites.
Dr. Paolo Woodruff Gonzales, a psychiatrist and director for Mindanao of the Philippine Psychiatrists Association, noted that gambling addiction could soon be recognized as a significant mental health issue by organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).
Currently, legal online gambling in the country is regulated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). RGL