The Philippines’ Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a blanket ban on online gambling for all its officials and employees, including personnel in local government units (LGUs).
The order, detailed in Memorandum Circular No. 2025-082 and signed by Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla, applies to over 61,000 staff across the department’s central, field, and attached agencies.
The prohibition covers both elected and appointed officials at provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels, with violators facing possible administrative or criminal charges under existing laws.
Remulla cited the Office of the President’s Memorandum Circular No. 06 (2016), which already prohibited government workers from entering physical casinos, stressing that the rise of online gambling undermines that rule’s intent. He voiced concern over growing reports of public officials participating in online betting, warning that such actions can erode public trust and damage the credibility of government institutions.
By extending the 2016 casino restrictions to digital platforms, the DILG seeks to close a regulatory gap created by the easy accessibility of online gambling. Enforcement will rely on internal compliance and disciplinary bodies within the DILG and its affiliated units.
While the circular does not outline specific monitoring measures, its broad wording signals a strict approach to accountability. The policy reflects the government’s effort to align traditional ethical standards with the realities of modern digital habits, and it forms part of a wider campaign to promote professionalism and integrity in public service.
Although debates continue over the pros and cons of online gambling in the Philippines, analysts note that an industry-wide ban remains unlikely for now, even as the government considers further regulatory changes.
