MANILA – A Philippine cardinal who heads the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has made a scathing critique of the government’s handling of online gambling, calling it a “theatre of the absurd” and accusing officials of moral negligence in allowing widespread access to betting platforms.

In a social media post, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan said the government is complicit in exposing children and families to the dangers of gambling addiction by legalizing online platforms that are accessible around the clock, even to minors.

This as businessman Charlie Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto are being linked to the disappearance of scores of online sabong afficianados by no less than Ang’s former seurity officer.

Ang and Barretto vehemently denied the accusations and said they will file appropriate charges against his former security officer. (See related story)

“Who needs to sneak into a high-end casino when the casino has been brought into every living room, every bedroom, every child’s pocket — right there on the glowing screen of a smartphone?” David said.

David, who also heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, criticized authorities for focusing on offshore gambling sites while ignoring the consequences of locally licensed platforms.

He also condemned celebrities and influencers for promoting gambling apps on social media, saying they “prostitute themselves for a fee” in service of “conscience-less billionaires.”

David expressed deep concern over the impact on Filipino families, especially children of overseas Filipino workers who may be using hard-earned remittances to gamble online.

“Goodbye studies. Goodbye decent jobs. Goodbye the hope of hardworking families,” he said. “And hello — hello to a whole generation of gambling addicts.”

David was responding to a recent news report in which state gambling regulator Pagcor warned the public against illegal offshore gambling websites claiming to be licensed by the agency.

In 2024, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs, which proliferated under the previous administration.

David warned that unless the country urgently addresses the issue, it risks “sacrificing an entire generation on the altar of easy profit.”

“We are doomed — unless we wake up,” he said.