Duterte will allow online gambling if taxes can be collected

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he will continue to allow online gaming, as long as taxes can be collected and also that all establishments are kept well away from schools and churches.

Duterte made the comments during a televized press conference on Wednesday afternoon. The President has expressed his dislike of online gambling as a social ill, particularly the effect on the young. He singled out PhilWeb chairman, Robert Ongpin, as an "oligarch". The tycoon subsequently resigned and offered to donate almost his entire stake 53.76 percent stake in the company to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) in a last ditch attempt to save the company, but his offer was rejected. PhilWeb had also proposed setting up a text lottery to replace its gaming café business.

President Duterte also said that he planned to use Pagcor's annual earnings to set up Government-run centers to provide free medicines to the poor. 

 

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