TLDR Calls to gambling addiction hotlines in the Philippines have surged, with one centre reporting 9 in 10 calls now related to gambling The Recovering Gamblers of the Philippines helpline is now receiving 30 calls a day, up from 20 last year A new National Problem Gambling Helpline received 161 calls since launching on May 26 PAGCOR registered 32 million electronic gaming players as of July 2025, up from 8.2 million at end of 2024 Philippine gaming revenue is expected to fall to 320–350 billion pesos this year, down from 396 billion pesos last year
Gambling addiction in the Philippines is getting worse. Counsellors say calls to support hotlines have risen sharply, even as the government has introduced new measures to reduce problem gambling.
The problem is affecting a wide range of people. Housewives, blue-collar workers, young Filipinos, and overseas workers are all being drawn in.
Hotlines Struggling to Keep Up
Jon Ty, founder of Bridges of Hope, said gambling now accounts for 9 out of 10 calls to his centre this year. That’s up from 7 in 10 in 2025.
Ty said the effects go beyond the individual. Families break down, children miss school, bills go unpaid, and marriages end.
To handle the increased demand, Bridges of Hope has grown from 13 rehab centres to 16, with three more opening soon.
Reagan Praferosa, director of Recovering Gamblers of the Philippines, said his helpline now receives 30 calls a day, up from 20 last year. The group has deployed AI tools to help manage the volume.
Praferosa said the hardest calls come in the early hours of the morning. He calls it the hour of desperation.
More housewives are calling in, many having gambled away money set aside for household expenses. Mothers have called during back-to-school season