A Philippine Senator, Joel Villanueva, has put forward a bill in the country that would effectively ban all kinds of online gambling nationwide.
The bill, known as the Anti-Online Gambling Act, would look to punish people who bet or receive bets online, with a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment or a fine of ₱500,000.
For businesses acting in breach of the act, similar fines and up to five years imprisonment could be handed out to those in charge.
Villanueva expressed his desire to have the bill passed as soon as possible, going on to say: “The consequences of gambling and online gambling are too severe to be ignored. The cost of gambling is no longer limited to the loss of money, but extends to the loss of values and lives.”
If the bill is passed, the act would come into effect 15 days after it has been published in at least two of the country’s newspapers. Officials from the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government would be responsible for enforcing the act and ensuring it is adhered to.
Online gambling became illegal in Cambodia in 2020, as the authorities looked to stamp out illegal gambling operations.
