Philippine senator calls for online gambling ban for civil service workers

11 August 2025 at 6:31am UTC-4
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Philippine Senator Joel Villanueva has encouraged government integrity oversight agency the Civil Service Commission to ban online gambling among civil servants and prevent these sites from being accessed in government buildings.

Villanueva’s proposal does not require a new law to be passed, as he said the Civil Service Commission could amend existing guidelines which prevent government employees from using land-based casinos to include online platforms.

Villanueva said, “Our government can put a stop to online gambling among the ranks of its employees through the Civil Service Commission. We call on the CSC to issue a clear-cut ban on online gambling among civil servants, particularly officials and employees of the government.”

During his comments, Villanueva touched on how the gambling landscape is changing in the Philippines, and that this should drive the Civil Service Commission to alter its policies.

Online gambling has been under serious discussion among lawmakers recently, with reports suggesting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is considering a full ban.

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While a full ban hasn’t come into force yet, President Marcos recently announced an igaming conference to tackle the increasing problem of gambling addiction in the Philippines.

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