Marcos to call ‘conclave’ on online gambling policy
Even before returning home from his state visit to India, President Marcos has been mulling over the next steps in his administration’s policy on online gambling.
And he has opted to appropriate Roman Catholic terminology in formulating a comprehensive policy, including his apparently evolving thinking.
Speaking with journalists hours before his trip back home, the President said he would convene a “conclave” to examine policy options, saying an outright ban on online gambling is not always the immediate solution.
“Internally, we are calling it a ‘conclave’ to put all of the interested parties,” the Presidential Communications Office quoted the President as saying on its website.
“CBCP [Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ members have been] very vocal on their position, so they must be heard,” the President said.
He was referring to the Catholic practice of sequestering cardinals under lock and key (conclave) until they elect a new pope. All participants are sworn to keep secret all discussions that take place during a papal conclave.
The President, who ordered an outright ban on offshore gambling operations in 2024, said the government would consult the Church, educators, parents, the police and addiction experts, among other stakeholders, for the policy formulation.
President Marcos pointed out that when “e-sabong” was banned, online cockfight gambling operations merely went underground.
“Let’s use that as an example: Was our ban on e-sabong successful? If not, why wasn’t it successful? That is what we need to study,” the Chief Executive said.
“I don’t want to influence anyone’s opinion here until we hear from the group who will be examining the question. But in my opinion, a ban will not take care of the problem. We have to be a little bit more measured in our response,” he said.
