Senator Chiz Escudero is seeking a nationwide ban on gambling advertisements, celebrity endorsements and commercial sponsorships, warning that the growing visibility of gambling promotions is exposing minors and vulnerable Filipinos to addiction and financial harm.
Under Senate Bill No. 2347, or the proposed Gambling Advertising Prohibition Act, gambling advertisements would be prohibited across television, radio, print, outdoor media, streaming services, mobile applications, e-commerce platforms, social media and other digital channels accessible to the public.
The measure would also bar celebrities, athletes, influencers and other public figures from endorsing or publicly associating their names, images, voices or likenesses with gambling operators, establishments and online platforms.
“It’s about time that we regulate the gambling industry the same way we regulated tobacco two decades ago,” Escudero said.
Escudero said the proposal follows the approach taken under the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which imposed broad restrictions on tobacco advertising, sponsorships and celebrity endorsements to reduce public exposure, particularly among minors.
The bill would also restrict influencer marketing, product placements, affiliate promotions, free bets, cashback offers, sign-up bonuses, raffles and other schemes designed to encourage gambling participation. Gambling companies would likewise be prohibited from sponsoring sports events, concerts, cultural programs, artists and athletes when the arrangement promotes a gambling brand or platform.
Limited advertising would remain allowed inside gambling establishments and on operators’ official websites or mobile applications, provided access is restricted to people aged 21 and above through reasonable age-verification measures.
Escudero said the measure would place existing voluntary restrictions under a uniform national legal framework, closing regulatory gaps and ensuring consistent enforcement across media and digital platforms.
Violators could face fines ranging from ₱200,000 to ₱500,000, imprisonment of up to three years and the revocation of business permits or licenses. Responsible corporate officers may also be held liable, while foreign nationals convicted under the measure could face deportation.
The bill provides a one-year transition period for gambling operators, advertisers, broadcasters, publishers, online platforms and sponsors to remove existing promotional materials and wind down current agreements.
It also directs the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and other government agencies to conduct sustained public-awareness campaigns on compulsive gambling, responsible gaming practices and available counseling, treatment and support services.
Escudero said the proposed ban is intended to balance the gambling industry’s economic contributions with stronger protections for minors, vulnerable sectors and consumers increasingly exposed to aggressive gambling promotions.
