Gambling addiction in Philippines worsens as helpline calls surge
Counsellors say the profiles of gambling addicts range from housewives to young Filipinos and urge Manila to tighten related rules
Ty said gambling now accounted for nine in 10 calls to the centre’s hotline so far this year, up from seven in 10 in 2025.
Many of the callers were desperate family members reaching out because their loved ones were gambling addicts. Ty said many gamblers had also resorted to drinking and suffered from other disorders, compounding the problem.
It really breaks the whole family unit apart
“Unlike drugs and alcohol, where you see one person deteriorating, gambling affects everybody. Tuition doesn’t get paid. Bills are left unpaid. Jobs are lost. The spouse leaves. It really breaks the whole family unit apart.”
To cope with the heavier workload, Bridges of Hope has expanded from 13 rehabilitation centres in 2025 to 16, with plans to add three more later this year.
Reagan Praferosa, director of Recovering Gamblers of the Philippines, said the support group’s helpline had been using AI to cope with a surge in helpline calls, which had risen to 30 a day from 20 last year. In particular, the group is allocating more resources to handle calls in the wee hours.
“As former gamblers, we know that’s when people lose the most. It’s the hour of desperation,” Praferosa said.