[NEWS]Philippine Government Workers Now Barred From All Gambling, New CSC Policy

[acroman08]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

For those that will be caught this are the penalties they will get "Reprimand for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and termination of employment for the third offense."

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

Government officials and personnel in the Philippines are now prohibited to take part in any sort of gambling act, whether physically or electronically, no matter the time of day or place. This update expands the restrictions placed upon government personnel and specifies the sanctions that will be imposed when these are violated.

Updated Coverage
Civil Service Commission Resolution No. 2600111, issued on Jan. 19 and published on April 23 in The Philippine STAR, applies to all government workers unless otherwise provided by law. This includes employees of local government units, autonomous regional governments, state and local universities and colleges, and government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters.

The resolution will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or the newspaper. Under the updated policy, gambling is defined as any game played for money or value in which the outcome depends wholly or chiefly on chance, or on the use of any mechanical device or contrivance to determine by chance the winner or loser of money.

Acts Prohibited
The CSC listed several activities that fall under the ban. These include entering or staying in casinos or gambling houses, including licensed establishments, whether land-based or sea-based and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The prohibition also covers online gambling through online casinos, e-bingo, e-sabong, and any internet-based betting.

It also extends to organizing and participating in any other gambling activity, whether traditional, informal, private, social, cultural, or newly emerging. The commission said mere presence in gambling venues is already considered a violation unless the official or employee is performing authorized official duties.

At the same time, games conducted exclusively for charitable, civic, or public welfare purposes remain allowed as long as they are legal and do not create an appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

Penalties Set
In order to impose sanctions on the violators, the CSC issued guidelines for the administrative penalties provided for under the 2025 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, which are reprimand for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and termination of employment for the third offense.

These administrative sanctions, according to the Commission, do not preclude criminal or civil suits being filed against the offender under existing law. The measure creates a stronger internal disciplinary framework while leaving room for possible legal action beyond the civil service system.

Reporting Violations
The CSC said violations may be reported through the CSC Contact Center ng Bayan or other complaint referral systems. It also confirmed that anonymous reports will still be processed in accordance with existing rules.

The reporting mechanism is part of the commission’s effort to support enforcement of the policy. By allowing complaints to be filed through existing channels, the CSC is giving agencies and the public a way to flag possible breaches of the new restrictions.

New Compliance Rules
With the updated resolution now in place, government workers are covered by a broader and more explicit gambling ban than before. The policy holds true regardless of whether it is conducted electronically or physically, without regard to location or timing.

The policy also highlights the importance of accountability, from prohibiting gambling to imposing penalties and reporting. In the context of civil service, this policy marks an improved standard of behavior in light of the government’s push for a complete ban on gambling by its employees.

[Charles-Tim]

The people in power in Philippines right now just prefer to use their power to deprived some people in their country of their freedom. Few hours ago, we saw the news that Bitcointalk was even banned in the country. Who knows if all their citizens will financially be targeted not to gamble, but I think it will not be up to this.

For those that will be caught this are the penalties they will get "Reprimand for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and termination of employment for the third offense."

Although, I think the first rule is not hard at all as it can make some people think of gambling and be caught the first time before stopping.

[PX-Z]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

Sounds good to me, public service should have high standards, as most people working there are abusive in power, corrupt, everything especially the higher positions in government public service. And sometimes, they are the ones promoting gambling (physical).
But online casinos are rampant already where people or gamblers stay longer than those physical establishment (casino or any related(. What should they do about how PH people uses online casino especially unlicensed ones, yeah they most blocked them and use online casinos but there are VPNs to bypass them.

[Sanitough]

I have no problem with that since I’m not a government worker, and based on my observation even before that policy, the service was already not very satisfying and the standards were low. So maybe that policy is really needed so they can be more focused, although I know that’s still not the main problem.

We still have that "palakasan" system in the government, where some people get hired not because they are really qualified, but because they are connected to those already in power. As long as that is not eliminated, the service will remain poor. So what the government is doing here is not really solving the root cause of the problem, but still, I guess it’s better than nothing.

[bhadz]

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

Not too much but as public servants, they have to set an example to the public. Even they're not government officials, they have to maintain that view to the people that they're good public servants. But we know the reality in our country. AFAIK, this has been a policy long time before but even with that, it's not a secret that there are public workers and even officials who are into gambling. Going to the fancy hotel and casinos and they'll only reason out that they are there to have some fun. It's also a common knowledge that some congressmen are into cockfighting because that's already part of the culture.

[Darker45]

If only this country doesn't stop at mere announcements of policies. For now, I'd take this with a pinch of salt. For one, this won't be properly implemented. At most, this will be implemented only against selected politicians or officials who aren't friends with the current administration. I'm more than sure this will only be used as a bullying tool by whoever is in power to persecute dissenters and oppositions.

Secondly, this is just a policy coming from a commission; this isn't backed with a law.

Finally, as an example, there's already an existing law that prohibits government officials from participating in cockfights unless the purpose is in line with their official duties. On the ground, however, public officials are often seen in VIP seats.

[LogitechMouse]

---
The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

For those that will be caught this are the penalties they will get "Reprimand for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and termination of employment for the third offense."

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.
---

Is it too much? No because I don't think that they will implement such rules if they don't see any reason for them to do it... or maybe they're just tripping?

Kidding aside, there's a reason why they implemented this. Maybe they see that the productivity of the government workers went down because of gambling whether it's physical or online hence, the implementation of the policy. The question right now is, will this reduce the number of workers that are into gambling in general? If it's physical then it might be because all physical casinos will implement stricter rules for them, but when it comes to online gambling? I don't think that this policy will have any effect on it at all. Government workers could just gamble in secret while working, and we know that many are doing it.

The people in power in Philippines right now just prefer to use their power to deprived some people in their country of their freedom. Few hours ago, we saw the news that Bitcointalk was even banned in the country. Who knows if all their citizens will financially be targeted not to gamble, but I think it will not be up to this.

Unfortunately, that's the case in our country right now, and I will just share it here that there are times where I will just cry on one side of my room because of how evil, and how corrupted our government is. They're using their power to deprive us, and even though I'm not affected by that ban (since I'm using Starlink), I'm still in shock on how the government is depriving us on our freedom of speech that even this forum is getting banned.

2 years left before the election happens.

[un_rank]

They are probably just getting around to some form of full ban on gambling, using these cases as a soft launch of that on the public. And I think it is best they get around to that cause an act is either prohibited or allowed, you cannot have a regulation for someone by virtue of their position if it is not against the law in any way.

There are lots of legal degenerate acts people can engage in, are they going to have a ban on each from government officials and workers? I highly doubt it.

They have obviously taken a firm stance (in policy and not implementation) on gambling with government workers and the forum caught in the crossfire first.

- Jay -

[Free Market Capitalist]

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

Yes, I think it is too much. It’s one thing that people with a conflict of interest aren’t allowed to gamble, but you can imagine how much harm it could do if a clerk in the public sector or someone who serves you at a counter went to the casino with friends over the weekend and placed a couple of bets.

If only this country doesn't stop at mere announcements of policies. For now, I'd take this with a pinch of salt. For one, this won't be properly implemented. At most, this will be implemented only against selected politicians or officials who aren't friends with the current administration. I'm more than sure this will only be used as a bullying tool by whoever is in power to persecute dissenters and oppositions.

Secondly, this is just a policy coming from a commission; this isn't backed with a law.

I'm not so sure about the claim that it won't be implemented. I don't know exactly how it will work in the Philippines, but a commission like that usually has regulatory authority, and if you look at the news article, it says:

The resolution will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or the newspaper.

[Oasisman]

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

Not really. The PH government has become more and more corrupt as time goes by. Not only are those who are in the highest position corrupt, but some employees are too. Yeah. I'm talking about fixers and anything like it. They forced people to pay more to get those important documents without undergoing excessive requirements, which most of the time are deliberate that serves as punishment for not availing their illegal service.
So, I think it's just right that these people will not engage in gambling, as they are supposed to be good role models, and their salaries are coming from the people's taxes, who have done most of the work and contributed more to the economy.

[Darker45]

~snip~

I'm not so sure about the claim that it won't be implemented. I don't know exactly how it will work in the Philippines, but a commission like that usually has regulatory authority, and if you look at the news article, it says:

The resolution will take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or the newspaper.

It will be implemented on paper. On the ground, however, it's another story. I'd be surprised if there's even one government personnel who'd be suspended let alone terminated for violating this policy.

In my country, everybody gambles, young and old, men and women, rich and poor. Gambling is a cultural thing. Both legal and illegal gambling is all around. It happens in casinos, mobile phones, on ordinary days and during birthdays, reunions, festivals, and other celebrations, even during wakes.

If this is strictly implemented, there'd be more than 90% of government personnel who'd be reprimanded, suspended, or terminated from their jobs.

Seriously, no one would believe this. Even gambling lords here have government positions.

[iv4n]

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

I think it's too much... As you wrote, many are just simple workers who don't hold any kind of power, so this looks more like a government trying to look clean & professional. It's easy to understand their logic... even lower-level workers handle funds, documents, or can affect decisions in some way. And maybe a total ban is easier to enforce than making it messy like "some can, some can't", or "only above xxx amount".

So is it just for show, or do they plan to enforce it equally across all levels, including powerful ones? I guess we will have to wait & see.

[Italian Panic]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

They have probably realised that, just like in other parts of the world, corruption isn’t just about a briefcase full of cash; it also operates through less obvious channels, like in europe and US.
If an official is a keen gambler, I wouldn’t be surprised if the corrupt system operates via a scheme linked to free bets; or if they aren’t keen on gambling, they are simply credited with sums of money which they can then monetise in some way. This way, the classic cash bribe system is bypassed and everything runs through electronic systems that are difficult to monitor. In reality, using Monero would be enough to achieve a high level of anonymity, but public officials aren’t that tech-friendly and still believe that cryptocurrencies are a scam.

[SilverCryptoBullet]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

About two months ago, similar ban was applied on Tumblr with same reasons but the ban was eventually lifted by the Philippines government there.

Will they do the same with this ban on Bitcointalk.org forum in coming months or even sooner?
https://www.reddit.com/r/tumblrhelp/comments/1rpbxpn/looks_like_tumblr_is_banned_in_the_philippines/

[Chinesebaby]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

When China banned gambling, they were able to engage it's citizens into productive activities, and it's sad the Philippines government is now trying to use the same approach, but yet failing to provide jobs that will get its citizens engage as they ban gambling. Because I literally just made a research now and I was made to understand that the population of Philippines is over 112million to 117 million people, and yet over 15% which is over approximately 17 million people was said to be living in poverty. So what if gambling was the only means through which this over 17 million people were able to survive, what then do they expect them to do now? Because I'm sure there will be several physical Sport Betting shops that will be closed down due to this new law, which is actually not fair. It would have been better regulated than strictly banning it.

[Fortify]

The Philippines updated its CSC policy on April 23(the update will take effect 15 days after the new rule is published), and it now says that Government workers(not just officials) are banned from staying in casinos,  gambling houses, licensed establishments, it doesn't matter if it is land based or offshore and whether in the Philippines or abroad. The ban also includes online gambling, so any kind of online gambling/betting is prohibited.

For those that will be caught this are the penalties they will get "Reprimand for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and termination of employment for the third offense."

Do you guys think this is too much? Just a reminder that these people are not Government officials, they are workers, so they don't hold power in the government like government officials do.

I don't agree with it, but if the country has lots of restrictions on gambling and corruption problems in general then it seems like a fair law to be enacted. Equally it seems like giving people a 1st and 2nd chance is the right thing to do, because there may be some kind of grey areas if they accidentally stumble into a place while overseas and are not sure that it's actually gambling. It seems like a reasonable trade off for government workers, because gambling companies have had a historical connection with money laundering which can be a source of bribes, which is even easier to do in poorer countries. Hopefully in future these restrictions ease as the country becomes more developed and has more trust built into government.

[_act_]

When China banned gambling, they were able to engage it's citizens into productive activities, and it's sad the Philippines government is now trying to use the same approach, but yet failing to provide jobs that will get its citizens engage as they ban gambling. Because I literally just made a research now and I was made to understand that the population of Philippines is over 112million to 117 million people, and yet over 15% which is over approximately 17 million people was said to be living in poverty. So what if gambling was the only means through which this over 17 million people were able to survive, what then do they expect them to do now? Because I'm sure there will be several physical Sport Betting shops that will be closed down due to this new law, which is actually not fair. It would have been better regulated than strictly banning it.

You did not understand the news very well. Gambling is not banned in Philippines, only government officials are not allowed to gamble. Citizens of the country that are not government officials are banned from gambling. It is good to know that not all government workers will also be the government officials because low ranked ones will not be banned.

[Cointxz]

I thought government employees was already banned not only official since local online casino usually asks if I’m related to someone working in the government as part of their KYC.

I don’t consider it too much since even normal government employees can still be involved in corruption and they typically being an accessory to the crime of government officials.

[TopTort777]

We can only thanks social media and any content creator for creating gambling image as being something bad and negative. That is what you get when only thing people post about gambling are negative news and addiction. Now form of entertainment is prohibited for certain people because that "might hurt overall reputation". There are certain activities and places, visiting or doing are considered as bad for reputation. But gambling should not be among them. For instance it is not good if officials worker or any one got spotted in strip club But it should not be a disaster if simple office worker gamble.

[Dave1]

I thought government employees was already banned not only official since local online casino usually asks if I’m related to someone working in the government as part of their KYC.

I don’t consider it too much since even normal government employees can still be involved in corruption and they typically being an accessory to the crime of government officials.

Probably there is already a law about officials going to local casinos in the Philippines. But the problem is implementation. I'm wondering how they will do it? Will casinos get copies of every government official name?

So there's still a lot of gray area in my opinion. Probably they just wanted to show to the public that they are doing something because of the corruption in the Philippines. Lots of cases like POGO, missing cock fighters and then some local Department of Public Highways caught playing in casinos in hundreds of millions of pesos and then cleaning it up or laundering.