Sabong is also known as cockfighting and while many people see it as abuse to animals (chickens) it is a tradition in the Philippines that dates back over 3,000 years ago. The sport is essentially putting two cocks in a pin and betting on what cock will come out of the fight victorious. While there is no real skill in Sabong betting there are rewards for placing a winning bet.
Cockfighting is illegal in many parts of the world but since it is considered tradition it is allowed in the Philippines to this day. While the government has regulated the industry and optimized how they make money off the traditions, illegal cockfighting is still rampant across the islands. Illegal cockfights take place across the islands and especially in rural locations.
The Philippines is a friendly country for online betting and has legal sports betting sites, online casinos and even online bingo. Our expert team has researched the market and found the best bookmakers for Filipinos. We can also give you tips on the best strategies, banking options, top odds. A bill that seeks to tax offsite betting, particularly on the popular cockfighting game sabong, is expected to raise at least P1.25 billion in its first full year of implementation, or 90 times over the current government collection of P13.7 million from cockpits, the main proponent of the measure said Thursday.
There are an estimated 2,500 cockpits spread out over the 7,100 islands that make up the Philippines. This page is dedicated to Sabong betting and will discuss the aspects around the sport and how you can get in on the action legally. And if you’re not convinced that Sabong is a very popular sport around the world, there are numerous forums dedicated to all things Sabong relevant, sites to stream Sabong matches, and popular events such as the Sabong Derby.
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Is Sabong Betting Legal In The Philippines?
Yes, Sabong betting is legal and widespread across the Philippines. There are betting terminals and legal bookies at the cockpits that players can place their bets. Sabong has been quoted as being a billion-dollar industry in the Philippines and since it is so popular there are several ways for a bettor to bet on cockfighting while in the Philippines. The most popular way to get a legal bet in is to go to a cockpit and place a bet with a licensed bookie. Sabong betting online is not available from any reputable bookmakers.
Is It Legal To Bet On Cockfighting Online In The Philippines?
No, there are some online Sabong betting sites that operate locally, but the Philippines have made it clear that domestic online Sabong betting is illegal. Quezon City and Manila have both cracked down on operators offering online betting for cockfights. Local government code is specific in the fact that Sabong must be regulated and bets can only be taken within the jurisdiction in which the cockfight is held.
Even if an online betting site has secured business permits to operate, they must obtain an explicit approval or a grant of franchise by the city council to operate legally, which neither city has authorized. Since there is no formal online regulation, placing bets on the illegally operated sites is a high-risk and players could fall victim to scams or potentially have their winnings confiscated. Legally sanction Philippine friendly sportsbooks do not offer betting lines for cockfighting but do accept bets for other combat sports such as boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), and more.
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Who Regulates Betting On Sabong In The Philippines?
In the Philippines, Sabong is regulated by the Games and Amusement Board as commissioned by Executive Order 149 put into effect in 1993. The regulations set forth by EO 149 enforce strict rules and regulations to be considered legal under the Philippine gambling law. Bookies must obtain a government license to accept bets at cockpits and are subject to inspection from the GAB.
Once licensed a bookie can accept legal bets at the cockpits and offer many different types of bets on the event. Since there are so many illegal cockfights, the government has put the responsibility on local barangay officials to combat those illegal operations. In some cases, barangay officials have been arrested for not enforcing laws on illegal cockpits.
e-Sabong Betting – OTB Sabong
Horse racing bettors are familiar with offtrack betting (OTB) kiosks, where they can wager on races away from the actual racing venue. The same is available for Sabong, which is called e-Sabong in the Philippines. This lets bettors put money on cockfights without being at the actual cockpit, but it exists in a legal gray area.
While PAGCOR has been ruled to have oversight of Sabong and the legal authority to institute e-Sabong throughout the Philippines, the government gaming regulator has so far chosen not to, as remote Sabong betting is controversial. Indeed, in 2019, HB 8910 was passed through the Philippine Congress nearly unanimously. This bill would eliminate e-Sabong altogether, but it has not yet been signed into law.
Philippine Cockfighting Geography
There are over 2,000 cockpits in the Philippines, while most of them are licensed and in compliance with the local government regulators, there are also a bunch of illegal cockpits. Illegal cockfighting has been widespread since the Philippine government decided to legalize the sport to combat illegal activities.
Today there are enforcement agencies that combat the illegal fights by issuing citations, asserting fines, and punishing offenders with potential jail time. While Manila and Quezon City are the two areas with the most cockpits the sport extends all the way to each border of the Philippines. Rural areas are the hardest to combat but probably contain the most illegal cockpits.
How Much Is Wagered on Sabong in the Philippines
Because there is so much illegal Sabong betting action, it is impossible to know precisely how much is wagered on the sport in the Philippines. We do however know that the Philippines Sabong industry is worth Billions of dollars annually. Yes, we said Billions. Not only is it the most popular sport in the Island nation, it is also a significant part of the Philippines ‘ culture and has been for the last six thousand years. Everyone from the very poor to the very wealthy engages in the sport, with billions of dollars wagered on the hundreds of millions of cocks that are slaughtered in the bloodsport each year.
Types of Sabong Betting Odds
- Parehas: Even odds
- Lo Dies: $100 wins $125 / $200 wins $250 / $400 wins $500
- Walo-anim: $300 wins $400 / $600 wins $800
- Onse: $400 wins $550 / $800 wins $1100
- Tres: $1000 wins $1500
- Sampu-anim: $600 wins $1000
- Doblado: $1000 wins $2000
History Of Cockfighting In The Philippines
There are many accounts of cockfighting in the Philippines that date back over 300 years ago and some historians say that cockfighting has existed for over 6,000 years. Whatever the case, it is documented that when Ferdinand Magellan landed on the islands of what is now known as the Philippines in 1512, indigenous people were betting on cockfights. The practice has been around through several different government changes and leadership changes until the Philippines gained their independence in 1898.
Since then the government has enacted laws and regulations of the sport to earn revenue for other community services. While the sport is a blood sport and cruel to the animals that are forced to participate, a lot of good comes from the taxes and licensing fees stemming from the sport. Sabong has withstood the test of time and in the Philippines, it is a tradition that will not be going away anytime soon.
Sabong Derby
Not for the faint of heart, the Sabong Derby is an event best reserved for the cockfighting aficionado. While all Sabong is brutal and quite bloody in nature, the Sabong Derby brings it all to a whole new level both as a spectacle and financially. Once known as the pintakasi, the Derby can last anywhere from 1 day (into the midnight hours) for 3 cocks or several days for a 7-9 cock event. Each team must pay a designated buy-in. The buy-ins are combined to make up the pot that will go to the winner of the Derby. It is not uncommon to see a P10,000 requirement for entry.
Sabong Resources
PH House Bill 8910 is a complex piece of legislation that was approved by the Philippines’ Congress in February of 2019. The bill serves to enhance several functions of the Gaming and Amusement Board (GAB), the body that oversees professional sports in PH, and works alongside the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the governing body of the nation’s gambling businesses.
A significant bulk of the language is aimed at the legislation of illegal online cockfighting, or e-sabong. The bill does not seek to outlaw e-sabong. HB 8910’s aim is to legislate the operation of online cockpit fighting rings, regulate all aspects of play, and direct the revenue towards federal coffers. The bill contains formulas that dictate the amount of cockpit betting operations allowable per capita.
The ease of internet access, and the lack of regulation on lawbooks for illegal e-sabong operations has caused the market to thrive in recent years. We cover the full range of the impact on PH gaming laws caused by HB 8910, including what effect it has had on the industry since final passage.
Betting On Sabong In The Philippines
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Cockfighting has been a part of Filipino culture for thousands of years and is still a popular betting sport on the island nation. Although there are several legal cockpit operations throughout the country, online cockfighting, or e-sabong is illegal. Despite online cockfighting’s unlawful status in PH, there are many illegal e-sabong betting operations currently in business. HB 8910 serves to remove the presence of illegal online cockfighting avenues and replace them with regulated fighting pits and remote off-cockpit betting stations (OCBS).
What Does HB 8910 Change About Online Gambling Law in PH?
The language in HB 8910 is designed to regulate and control online cockfighting betting operations and route those precious proceeds toward the Philippines tax collector’s office. Offshore betting sites will remain available to Filipino punters and becoming a member will not violate any PH laws.
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A full bevy of casino games, slots, table games, poker, and other gambling favorites are accessible in-country via these betting sites located outside of PH jurisdiction. On top of that, online sportsbooks also provide bettors inside of the Philippines the chance to wager on major sports around the globe, such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and local sports such as PBA Basketball. If martial arts is your bag, betting lines are available for popular MMA and combat sports like UFC, Boxing, and other forms of full-contact fighting.
Will PH Casinos Be Affected By HB 8910?
Although there will be no immediate affect felt by Philippines’ casinos, it could see new betting opportunities appear in the form of regulated e-sabong, in the near future. Although the sport of cockfighting may appear too brutal for many outside of the region, it is part of the Filipino culture and is a regularly wagered upon national pastime. The legislation has left room to determine the fate of e-sabong in PH, but for now, gamblers will see no change in the PH-based casino gambling landscape.
What Does HB 8910 Do?
House Bill 8910 will serve to do a great many things to regulate gambling in the Philippines and is backed almost unilaterally in PH politics. The bill adds more power to the GAB by providing additional rule-making capabilities and granting some judicial oversight.
Sabong Online
Taxes – The bill will regulate and supervise all national sports, leagues, athletes, and officials, and will take a flat 25% tax on athletic ticket sales. A scrape of 3% will be taken on all betting operations.
Sabong Online Betting Sites Football
Athletes – There are also measures included that govern the wellbeing of competitors, providing for routine medical evaluations of fighters before and after bouts, required rest periods, and the organization of a welfare fund for injured competitors.
Other gambling industries receiving additional oversight from PH House Hill 8910 include:
- E-Sabong (Illegal Online Cockfighting) Oversight
- Horse Racing and Associated Betting Terminals
- Jai Lai Games And Betting
8910 establishes an Anti-Illegal Gambling Unit for the purposes of cracking down on illegal betting enterprises and ensuring that current laws are enforced. The legislation also intends to expedite the licensing process by creating a “one stop shop” where promotors of all events that will attract significant crowds and require large venues can breeze through the red tape and get on to the business of making money in PH.
What Does HB 8910 Mean For E-Sabong?
HB 8910 gives the GAB the ability to completely oversee e-sabong gambling regulation and governance. This will bring the act of online cockfighting out of the back alleys and illegal betting operations and into the limelight of legal gambling in the Philippines.
The Games and Amusement Board will set the guidelines for play, betting operations, number of licenses available, and issuance of licenses. All fighting cocks will need to be registered with the GAB, and if they are stolen, the Board will investigate.
The GAB will regulate the live transmission of any sabong video feeds regardless of broadcast venue and will regulate the day-to-day gambling operations based around cockfighting. This includes the establishment of off-cockpit betting stations (OCBS), remote kiosks that accept wagers on e-sabong.
Other oversight provided to the GAB by HB 8910 incudes distribution of sabong fighting facilities, governance of personal cock ownership and importation, and the banning of fights on national holidays. Sabong crowd management, including weapon control, falls under GAB control. The Board also has the ability to ban all other betting when cockfighting is occurring.
Summary
Sabong Online Betting Sites Sportsbook
Betting on e-sabong has yet to be legalized. HB 8910 has blazed a lawful trail for legal regulated online cockfighting betting and off-cockpit betting stations, but now it is up to the GAB to create, regulate, and enforce the decisions they make regarding e-sabong in the Philippines.