Senate leader of the Philippines Francis Escudero has proposed a new law to prohibit gambling ads and celebrity endorsements in media, online or offline.
Senate Bill No. 2347 seeks to impose prohibitions akin to those already imposed against tobacco agency and Escudero has noted that gambling ads are being increasingly made public to younger populations and require more government regulation.
The bill would also mean that Advertising Standards Council’s voluntary guidelines on gambling ads would become binding in law and create a single legal framework for implementing penalties.
One year after its passage, the new regulation will require gamblers to discontinue any marketing activities as so things can be done in a legitimate way.
Breaking the new law will invoke very serious penalties including a PHP200k fine or one year of detention for a first offence and much higher sentences in recurrence of the offence. Foreigners would also be deported.
Moreover, under the new act the government will educate the population on the essence of responsible gambling practices.