LOBOC (LiCAS News): The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines [CBCP] raised the alarm over the rise of online gambling.
“We are deeply concerned because it seems there is a new plague or virus destroying individuals, families, and society. This plague is the addiction to online gambling,” the bishops said in a pastoral letter signed by CBCP president, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David of Kalookan.
They noted that despite previous action, online gambling has re-emerged in digital form—easily accessible, widely promoted, and increasingly addictive. They warned that it now ensnares even the youth, often without families realising it.
The bishops described online gambling as a moral crisis, not just a recreational activity. Though some may claim it as a “human right,” the bishops argued that this does not make it right—especially when it causes harm.
We are deeply concerned because it seems there is a new plague or virus destroying individuals, families, and society. This plague is the addiction to online gambling
CBCP
The platforms’ 24/7 accessibility and seamless integration with financial apps make them especially dangerous, often leading users to financial ruin in a single click.
Criticising the widespread silence surrounding the issue, they noted to the profits generated by gambling as a possible reason the indifference.
Calling online gambling a “virus that destroys and kills,” the CBCP challenged the nation to ask whether the normalisation of such behaviour is compatible with national development.
They likened gambling addiction to drug dependency—an issue that requires compassion, support, and healing rather than judgment. Gambling, they said, distorts thinking, impairs judgment, and robs peace of mind.
The bishops called on all to reclaim “true freedom in the gospel—not the freedom to do whatever we want, but freedom from enslavement.”
