A leader in the House of Representatives on Friday filed a bill imposing a P3,000 entrance fee on casino goers.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said the amount shall be imposed in all casinos and other similar gaming establishments in the country to deter gambling addicts.
“The bill seeks to strengthen regulation of the participation or engagement of citizens in casino gambling by ensuring that those who enter casinos and similar gambling establishments have the minimum resources to engage in gambling activity therein,” Albano, House majority leader for the House of Representatives’ contingent to Commission on Appointments, said.
Albano filed the bill following the tragic Resorts World incident that killed 38 people, including gunman Jessie Javier Carlos, a dismissed tax specialist at the Department of Finance.
“The Resorts World casino tragedy that senselessly claimed lives and caused injury to many people brought to public attention the sad state of regulation and administration of gaming and gaming establishments in the country,” Albano said.
“As important, it called attention to the sinister effects of gambling addiction especially among those who do not have or can ill afford the financial resources needed to engage in casino gambling,” he added.
Under the bill, a casino entrance charge, collected from any person who is not an official or employee of any casino every time he or she enters a casino and similar gaming establishments, will serve as a deterrent to those who lack the resources or can barely afford to engage in casino gambling.
The bill provides that the casino entrance charge (CEC) shall be collected by the gaming establishment where the casino is located and shall be used to create a Special Fund to be spent for the establishment and maintenance of children and youth welfare shelters in the country under the supervision of the Social Welfare department.
The bill prescribes that 50 percent of the amount shall be for children and youth welfare programs in the city and municipality where the casino is located.
“The charges collected shall constitute a special fund which shall be utilized for the establishment and maintenance of children and youth welfare centers to established nationwide under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” Albano said in his bill.
Once enacted, the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Department of Interior and Local government and the DSWD shall be tasked to draft the implementing rules and regulation of the proposed measure.