Wazzup Pilipinas!?
Legally speaking, there may be no violation; but morally, of course, there is. This conversation is not about what is legal or illegal—it is about values. What kind of values do you uphold when the platform you built is used to promote gambling?
You are an influencer with an army of followers looking up to you. Why would you choose to support and endorse gambling?
When Money Talks, Morality Walks
At the end of the day, it comes down to a harsh reality: "When money talks, everybody listens."
Figures like Ivana Alawi were simply being practical, much like countless others who take on these promotional deals. We are talking about talent fees that reach millions of pesos just to endorse online gambling platforms. To soften the blow and protect their public image, these endorsements are often paired with charitable outreach or community help—a very clever and calculated strategy. Because the promotion itself utilizes a registered, PAGCOR-licensed entity, technically, no laws are broken.
The Real Cost of Millions of Followers
The core issue is much deeper than compliance. When an influencer with millions of followers uses their reach to promote gambling, it is simply not okay.
Even if only ten percent of the people influenced by someone like Ivana decide to subscribe and play, that still translates to countless lives and families ruined by gambling addiction. Gambling destroys futures just as surely as illegal drugs do. The only difference is that one has a government stamp of approval while the other does not—both are destructive, and both should ideally be prohibited. It is legal, but deeply immoral.
The Call-Out and the Double Standard
This is precisely why celebrities and influencers who endorse gambling deserve to be called out. Where is the shame?
Look at major mainstream stars and multi-millionaires or billionaires—names like Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda, Manny Pacquiao, Alden Richards, and Ivana Alawi, among others. They already possess immense wealth, yet some still choose to compromise their principles for massive payouts, unlike smaller content creators who guard their integrity fiercely despite having far less.
Why the Government Won't Shut Them Down
If gambling causes so much harm, why doesn't the government simply shut these operations down? The answer is twofold:
The government knows they cannot fully stop people from playing because many view gambling as a shortcut to instant money.
The state collects massive revenues and taxes from these operations.
Ultimately, influencers should use their platforms to champion positivity and teach sustainable ways to build passive income rather than pushing people toward the tables. While we recognize that these platforms hold legal permits to operate under the government and PAGCOR, we must never lose sight of the human cost behind the numbers.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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