Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) Chair Andrea Domingo said she favors having a separate regulator to oversee the country’s booming online cockfighting industry, known as eSabong.

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has justified the continuation of e-sabong (online cockfighting) operations, despite calls from senators to suspend it as a result of 34 missing persons connected to the sport. 

Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) Chair Andrea Domingo has said the suspension of online cockfighting (eSabong) before a probe looking into the disappearance of some 34 people connected with the sport has ended will make the regulator vulnerable to legal action.

The Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has warned that any operators found to be accepting bets on online cockfighting from overseas will face penalties.

It’s no secret that the thrill of cockfights (or sabong, as we know it), lies in the energy that fills an arena, with the sound of the crowd cheering and standing on the edge, waiting to find out what luck lies ahead. 

After a slow start, the Philippines’ domestic online gaming industry is beginning to gain momentum, helping to pad the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp’s (PAGCOR) Covid-depleted coffers.

PAGCOR says it has already collected more than $19.9 million in fees from licensed eSabong operators in the first four months of operation.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) plans to reduce its share of online casino revenues to enhance competitiveness and combat illegal gambling activities.

About 41,000 people were arrested in the Philippines’ anti-illegal gambling operation this year. The figure was shared by Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday.

The end of all POGOs. That’s the objective of Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. Speaking to AGB, the official says that just ending POGOs is not enough to restore the country’s reputation, also calling for a complete restructuring of the regulatory body – confining PAGCOR to only be an operator, while setting up a new regulator – the opposite of PAGCOR’s current divestment plans.