Last Monday (22), Ferdinand Marcos Jr, president of the Philippines, decreed an immediate ban on online gaming operations in the country. The measure mainly affects online betting houses run by Chinese.
But the reasons are the most impressive, because, according to the Philippine president, gambling are responsible for financial fraud, human trafficking, torture, kidnappings and murders.
President of the Philippines says it is a matter of national security
According to some studies carried out in the Philippines, more than 400 online gambling groups are owned by Chinese. They are responsible for employing tens of thousands of Chinese citizens in the country and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
Philippine authorities found that these operations were concentrated in business complexes with numerous buildings. The government suspects that thousands of workers, including Chinese and Vietnamese, were recruited illegally. In other words, workers enter illegally and face extremely precarious conditions.
The president of the Philippines, during his address to the nation, said that the issue is a matter of national security. He declared that the government will intensify efforts to strengthen the country’s defense.
Therefore, the country does not rule out alliances with friendly nations to face territorial threats in the South China Sea. But, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, made a point of highlighting that any issue to be resolved will be done using diplomacy.
Thus, this action by the Philippine government reflects an effort to combat illicit practices and protect the rights of foreign workers in the country, while seeking to reinforce its position in the international arena.
