The government has no intention to revive the e-sabong, or online cockfighting, industry anytime soon, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) said.
“I want to make this clear. There is no marching orders from the President for the reopening of e-sabong,” Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco said at the Inside Asian Gaming Academy Summit held at the Newport World Resorts earlier this week.
“There is no such thing. People have been going around (about this, but) definitely, e-sabong is not in the horizon or not in the mind of the President at this very moment,” he added.
In December 2022, the President issued executive order (EO) no. 09 directing the continued suspension of e-sabong operations nationwide.
The nationwide suspension was initially implemented in May 2022.
“We are just following (the order). There is an EO, suspending operations, so we will have to follow and await the instructions of the President,” Tengco said.
The Pagcor chief further said the agency has not spent time studying the revival of e-sabong.
He addedany e-sabong operations that currently exist are all illegal.
“That is not within the jurisdiction of PAGCOR, that is within the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies. Definitely, there is no licensed e-sabong operator from Pagcor,” Tengco said.
At a House committee hearing on Pagcor’s 2025 budget held last month, OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa Magsino asked Tengco if it was possible to legitimize e-sabong, since some are operating underground.
Magsino said legalizing e-sabong will allow Pagcor to generate additional revenues, especially following the ban imposed on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
Tengco, however, responded that Pagcor is merely implementing what is in the law.
Several lawmakers and government officials, however, have opposed the revival of e-sabong.
From April 2021 to April 2022, Pagcor generated revenues of roughly P6 billion from e-sabong operations, which was prior to the implementation of suspension.
