Escudero pushes ban on gambling ads, sponsorships to curb addiction

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Hoping to curb irresponsible and excessive gambling, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has proposed a nationwide ban on gambling-related advertisements and sponsorships.

Escudero said his proposed measure, Senate Bill No. 2347, also aims to protect minors and other vulnerable sectors from widespread gambling promotions that often target young people.

He noted that such restrictions are not unprecedented. The government adopted a similar policy for the tobacco industry under Republic Act No. 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which imposed broad limits on advertising and sponsorships to help protect public health.

“It’s about time that we regulate the gambling industry the same way we regulated tobacco two decades ago,” he said.

R.A. 9211, which Escudero backed during his stint in the House of Representatives, imposed strict limits on tobacco advertising across print, broadcast, electronic, and outdoor platforms. It also prohibited celebrity endorsements and the placement of tobacco brands in entertainment content.

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Observers have credited the legislation with helping reduce the exposure of minors and other non-smoking individuals to tobacco promotions.

Gambling promotions

Escudero said Senate Bill No. 2347 seeks to impose similar restrictions on gambling promotions by prohibiting advertisements on television, radio, print, online, and social media platforms, including celebrity endorsements and influencer campaigns.

The bill also mandates the inclusion of responsible gambling advisories in authorized consumer communications to remind the public of the risks associated with compulsive gambling.

Escudero likewise cited the recent initiative of the Ad Standards Council (ASC), which voluntarily issued a self-regulation circular directing its members to prohibit gambling imagery and paraphernalia across all media platforms.

“My bill shall institutionalize this effort by placing the restrictions under a national legal framework, ensuring uniform enforcement and preventing gaps in regulation,” he stressed.

Balanced economic gains

Escudero acknowledged that the gambling industry has significantly contributed to government revenues, employment, and tourism, but said it has also driven a surge in advertisements, promotions, sponsorships, marketing campaigns, and other forms of consumer communications that are becoming increasingly pervasive, sophisticated, and targeted.

He warned that the growing visibility of gambling-related services poses serious risks to public mental and physical well-being, as well as socioeconomic welfare, particularly by increasing exposure to and encouraging excessive, compulsive, and irresponsible gambling.

Billions of pesos in revenues

The country’s gambling industry generated ₱396.13 billion in gross revenues last year, with the bulk coming from online and digital gambling.

If enacted, Senate Bill No. 2347 seeks to balance the economic benefits of the gambling industry with social responsibility while holding gambling operators and advertisers to higher ethical standards.

The measure also provides a one-year transition period for gambling operators and advertisers to phase out existing promotional materials and align their operations with the new regulations.

Under the bill, violators may face a fine of up to ₱200,000 or imprisonment of up to one year for a first offense; up to ₱300,000 or two years’ imprisonment for a second offense; and up to ₱500,000 or three years’ imprisonment for a third offense. Repeat violators may also face the revocation of their business permits or licenses.

Corporate officers and foreign nationals found liable for violations of the proposed measure will likewise face the corresponding penalties, with foreign nationals also subject to deportation.

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