Provincial board members have determined that electronic betting machines used in cockfighting violate existing gambling laws, setting up a clash with cockpit operators over the decades-old practice of “sabong.”
The Good Governance committee, chaired by board member Atty. Benjie Arcamo, ruled that betting machines “do not conform with the traditional form of betting” and violate Presidential Decree No. 449, which regulates cockfighting in the Philippines.
“It is being used as a tool for commercialization among cockpit operators,” the committee found.
Arcamo has proposed an ordinance mandating strict implementation of PD 449, which would allow only traditional cockfighting and betting methods in Bohol province. The measure is scheduled for second reading debate next week, according to board member Atty. Jami Villamor, the committee’s vice-chair.
Three cockpit operators in Tagbilaran, Jagna and Loon have mounted strong opposition to the proposed ban.
Atty. Bryan Pelandas, representing cockpits in Loon and Jagna, argued that “there is nothing in the law which prohibits the use of a machine or any form of betting.”
“As technology develops, form of betting improved, thus, this is a technological advance,” Pelandas said, noting that Executive Order No. 09 only prohibits live-streaming of cockfights outside authorized venues.
But Atty. Johnson Hontanosas, representing “Kristos” (bet takers) and “puntos” (bet spotters), supported the ban, calling the machine betting system a “scam” that unfairly disadvantages bettors.
Hontanosas cited commission rates sometimes reaching 20 percent—far higher than the five percent charged on casino baccarat—and unequal betting odds that ensure bettors “always lose.”
He described how a 1,000-peso bet on “Inilog” (inside position) might win only 800 pesos, while the same bet on “Biya” (outside position) returns just 600 pesos.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has ruled that electronic betting machines accepting wagers on cockfights constitute “E-Sabong” and must be prohibited unless used for broadcasted or livestreamed matches.
The Provincial Legal Office cited PD 449’s stated policy “to remove and prevent excessive and unreasonable business operation and profit considerations” while preserving Philippine customs and traditions.
Police reports indicate that at least nine towns—Dauis, Valencia, Candijay, Bilar, Sikatuna, Getafe, Tagbilaran, Loon and Jagna—currently allow machine betting in cockpits.
The system operates through tellers at booths inside cockpit arenas who accept bets and issue betting slips to customers.
Presidential Decree No. 449, issued in 1974, remains the primary law governing cockfighting in the Philippines.
The decree regulates cockpit operations, licensing, betting practices and schedules for matches.
Executive Order No. 09, signed in 2023, suspended E-Sabong operations nationwide following controversies over missing persons linked to online cockfighting and concerns about gambling addiction.
The Philippine penal code also contains provisions against illegal gambling under Articles 195-199, which penalize unauthorized gambling operations and define parameters for legal betting activities.