The Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has banned staff and local government officials from online gambling, including esports.
The ban is in place with immediate effect and applies to all DILG personnel, including related agencies, as well as all officials and employees of local government units (LGUs).
Makati City late at night Image Credit: Sean Yoro/Unsplash
A memo posted on the DILG’s Facebook page stated, “Public office is a public trust. Engaging in online gambling undermines the credibility of our institutions and diverts public servants from their sworn duty to serve with integrity, competence, and loyalty.”
Ban Seeks to Prevent Evil
The Philippine government has taken a hard stance on gambling among staff, and in 2016 introduced a ban on all employees entering casinos.
The DILG was aware some government officials were engaging in online gambling, noting, “Reports have reached this department that many government officials and employees have been engaging in online gambling activities, which is similar to the evil sought to be prevented by Memorandum Circular No. 06, series of 2016.”
“Such acts adversely affect the integrity and credibility of government service.”
The Potential Impact on Filipino Esports
The ban will apply to online casinos and online sports betting, which includes esports after the Philippines’ Games and Amusements Board (GAB) formally recognized it as a legitimate sport in 2017.
Esports events such as MLBB MPL Philippines, could also be affected by the directive, reinforcing the government’s emphasis on protecting integrity across all forms of competitive gaming.
Senators Call For Complete Ban On Online Gambling
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva hailed the DILG’s move as a step in the right direction. Villanueva stated, “By taking a firm stand against online gambling, the DILG is protecting the integrity of public service and setting a strong example for other agencies to follow.”
He urged the Civil Service Commission to adopt a similar policy to cover all civil servants nationwide.
“We trust that the commission would respond favorably to our call to prevent this menace of online gambling from harming our people, especially all officials and workers in government,” he added.
This week, the Senate is considering four bills addressing online gambling regulation, with former Senate President, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, leading calls for a complete ban.
Alejandro Tengco, the chairman of the country’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), called for tighter control rather than a complete ban. Tengco noted that licensed online gambling raises $1.8 billion annually for the government.