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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.
Source: PhilStar
