Nadine Lustre has been on the receiving end of criticism after she promoted online gambling as a brand ambassador for an online casino.
The actress announced an online gambling platform’s launch by sharing a photo of herself holding a phone displaying the company’s logo. She posted it on her Facebook page and other social media platforms last weekend.
After seeing the image, the negative comments started coming in. Many people were not happy with the image because they felt it clashed with the public image she had developed over the years.
Who Is Nadine Lustre?
Lustre stars in Dan Villegas’ film “Uninvited”, alongside Philippine cinema icons Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach. In the movie, she portrays a wealthy heiress whose strained relationship with her father, played by Muhlach, is exacerbated by her desire for his fortune.
She is an award-winning actress who has starred in a variety of film genres. She rose to fame for playing the lead role in the Diary Ng Panget. Last year she won Best Actress at the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards for her performance in "Greed."
Beyond her acclaimed acting career, Lustre is a well-known advocate for animal rights and actively promotes a vegan lifestyle. She is also a supporter of various environmental organizations and causes.
These commitments made her recent online gambling post controversial, with many accusing her of promoting gambling. One user commented, 'It's just not Nadine.' Adding to the controversy, she also performs the song featured in the gambling advertisement.
Online Gambling Generates Massive Revenue in the Philippines
Online gambling in the Philippines surged during the pandemic and continues to generate massive amounts of revenue. Much like online casino apps in the United States.
In the third quarter, gross gambling revenue in the Philippines rose by more than 37% compared to the previous year, primarily due to a significant increase in the online sector, which made up for declines in the land-based market.
According to data released by the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) on November 14, revenue reached approximately $1.61 billion USD during Q3. This figure surpasses the $1.17 billion reported for the same period last year and is 2.7% higher than in Q2 of this year.
The most notable result in Q3 came from electronic or online gaming, which generated about $609 million USD, marking a 465% increase. The electronic gaming market in the Philippines includes online casino games, sports betting, bingo, and specialty games.
Lustre Has Yet To Comment on the Post
Nadine Lustre has not yet commented on the controversial social post that has generated so much backlash. Nor has she responded to the reactions from her fans.
Her silence is also fueling curiosity about whether the post was a mistake or if there is a deeper explanation behind it.
Whatever the case may be, she will soon find out if the old adage is true that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
