TLDR
- Cebu City held a public hearing on Aug. 11 for a proposed gambling ad ban.
- The Business Permit and Licensing Office says online ads will be hard to enforce.
- PAGCOR wants the ban limited to physical ads shown inside Cebu City.
- Proposed fines range from P1,000 to P5,000 plus permit revocation for repeat violations.
- The council still needs to define what counts as gambling under the ordinance.
Cebu City councilors met on Aug. 11 to discuss a proposed ban on gambling advertisements. Councilor Joel Garganera introduced the measure to protect minors and vulnerable groups from gambling promotions.
The Business Permit and Licensing Office backed the goal of the ordinance. But the office warned that enforcing the rule against online platforms would be tough.
Online Platforms Create Jurisdiction Problems
BPLO Legal Officer Atty. Cherry Cutillar told the council her office can handle physical ads within the city. Online ads are a different story, especially when the platform is based outside Cebu City.
Cutillar said the BPLO would need help from other agencies. She named the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Philippine National Police as possible partners.
The City Legal Office had already suggested a narrower approach. It recommended limiting digital rules to paid gambling ads run by companies based in Cebu City or under the city’s direct authority.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. also weighed in. It asked the council to restrict the ban to ads that are physically displayed or run within Cebu City.
PAGCOR representative Ingrid Victoria Espiritu presented the agency’s position paper. She said online gambling ads cross territorial lines, which creates legal problems for a city-level ban.
PAGCOR also asked for an exemption. It wants ads approved under national law or by agencies like PAGCOR itself to be excluded from the ban.
This raised a question from Garganera about Small Town Lottery ads. He asked if PAGCOR-approved promotions could still be taken down under the ordinance.
Espiritu said she could not answer that question. She explained she represents Casino Filipino Cebu, not PAGCOR’s Gaming Licensing and Development Department.
Council Debates Definition Of Gambling
The BPLO outlined a plan for enforcement. Advertising agencies and event organizers would need to sign an undertaking during permit registration confirming they will not host gambling ads.
The office also proposed a transition period. Existing billboards and outdoor promotions would have 30 to 60 days to come down.
Penalties would rise with each violation. A first offense brings a P1,000 fine and a 24 hour removal order, while a third offense could mean permit revocation and permanent closure.
The meaning of gambling itself is still unsettled. Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña asked if Bingo, including Bingo Plus, would count when cash prizes are involved.
Councilor Philip Zafra said Bingo could fall under gambling since the outcome depends on chance. Councilor Sisinio Andales then raised the issue of Bingo events held for charity.
Osmeña asked for a clearer legal definition. He said this would prevent the ordinance from being used against legitimate charity events.
The council closed the hearing without resolving these open questions. Lawmakers still need to define gambling, set the limits of online enforcement, and decide how local offices will coordinate with national agencies before the ordinance can take effect.
