Presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Francisco ''Isko Moreno'' Domagoso said gambling in the country, including online, should be regulated by the government.

"Online cockfighting is just one thing. There are many kinds of gambling, if they exist it's either you tolerate them and let them leave illegally or you intervene as a government and as a state to regulate them," he said during a radio interview on Wednesday.

"Making them illegal they can do whatever they want, but if they are under the rules and regulation of the state they cannot just do whatever they want, that is why it should be regulated," he added.

Domogoso said it is about time that the government recognized the existing gambling in the country and put them under watch and regulation of the government.

"Maybe it is about time that the state for that matter should not be hosting gambling. We should be regulating gambling but not hosting as if it was a corporation, a state owned casino. I think we should revisit this. Let the private sectors create more opportunities and jobs for everyone by doing business legally under the government regulation," he said.

"They should not be illegal. They should become legal They should pay taxes and create jobs. It is much better to recognize them if they are existing if they are (thriving) illegally and put them under the watch and regulation and authority of the state," he added. Robina Asido/DMS