PAGCOR Wants to Consider Legalising Multiplayer Cockfights
As planned, domestic online gambling is coming to the Philippines and the cocks are leading the way as expected. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has begun detailing how licensed cockfighting online can operate.
There is a potential for online cockfighting, as stated by ABS-CBN, as long as everyone has their licenses before they begin.
“PAGCOR can issue the proper regulations in order to license and legitimize operations of local online sabong [the local term for cockfighting], in this way, bettors will be protected and regulated, legitimate and licensed local online sabong operations will be identified and will be allowed to operate, and Government will be able to collect proper fees and taxes.”
said PAGCOR chief Andrea Domingo.
Furthermore, only livestream cockfights from cockpit arenas properly approved by local government units and with the requisite permits would be permitted to licensed local online sabong operators Domingo added.
Though cockfighting has become a tradition of gambling in the Philippines, being allowed on Sundays and holidays at sanctioned places, COVID-19 has pushed much of its underground activity due to prohibitions on social gatherings. Several arrests were made near cockfighting rings in July, but police acknowledged it was going right under their noses and there wasn't anything to be done about it.
PAGCOR is now searching for online cockfighting as a potential source of income, faced with a shortage of revenue for the POGO exodus. If successful, domingo hopes it will replace currently streaming illicit offers on facebook.
With the aid of the NationalBureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), she also tackled shutting down these illicit deals once and for all. “Once [e-sabong] is established, the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police will be able to identify the illegal operators and apprehend them accordingly”, Domingo said.
There have been reports that PAGCOR will begin to open up domestic online gaming now that operators are closing down or leaving the country cutting POGO fees in half. Although increased options would also have to wait for a new president, it just makes sense to give the people the gaming activity they want while keeping it legal.
