Philippine Senator Fights the Return of Virtual Cockfighting

Several years ago, the Philippines legalized online sabong operations. After the start of virtual cockfighting in 2020, the activity was expected to bring tax revenue. Yet, the government’s Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), as well as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), failed to collect all tax revenue due from e-sabong operations, despite many operators pocketing billions from the activity.

This led to another ban on e-sabong back in May 2022. The move came after the BIR acknowledged that online gambling operators didn’t pay the taxes they owed. While some considered that as the end of virtual cockfighting, others disagreed.

On Sunday, one Philippine Senator dismissed proposals that sought to revitalize e-sabong. The move came from Sen. Joel Villanueva, who spoke against the activity. He said the proposals that sought to bring back online cockfighting were far worse than the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Earlier this year, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos effectively banned POGOs amidst rising concerns about their relationship to criminal activities. While supporters of e-sabong advocated for the return of the activity as a way to cover the missing revenue from POGOs, Sen. Villanueva disagreed.

Quoted by the Manila Standard, he said that it is imperative for the Philippines to have a sustainable source of revenue. “We have just defeated an enemy with the POGO ban, but reviving the e-sabong is far worse because it directly targets our people from all walks of life,” explained Sen. Villanueva.

“We want our revenues coming from legitimate, legal, and sustainable sources.“

Sen. Joel Villanueva

The Well-Being of People Is a Top Priority

The Senator spoke about the negative impact of gambling. He warned that gambling impacts families and ruins the lives of many people. “We cannot simply turn a blind eye to the suffering of our people who have become victims of the pitfalls of gambling. Money should not be our only consideration; the welfare of our people must come first,” said Sen. Villanueva.

He compared POGOs and e-sabong, explaining that those activities are harmful to families across the country. Sen. Villanueva added that both activities impact the personal finances of families, resulting in gambling debts.

Previously, the Senator filed Senate Bill 1281, calling for a complete ban on any form of online gambling.

Despite the efforts of the government, online cockfights continue to run rampant. A recent hearing suggested that there are nearly 800 e-sabong operations currently ongoing in the Philippines, completely disregarding the existing ban that was put in place in 2022.