Despite the Philippines having banned electronic cockfighting (E-sabong) nationwide, the industry remains active on the dark web and social platforms. A recent report by the local social science research institute The Fourth Wall reveals that illegal E-sabong is operating through unregulated online gambling platforms and continues to attract players via social media, posing significant challenges to law enforcement.
Philippine President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 9 in December 2022, which completely prohibits online, remote, and off-site betting on E-sabong and stops the live broadcasting of events. However, the study found that many illegal platforms still offer related events and recruit users to register and participate through Facebook groups and private messages. Although these platforms have limited registration procedures, their promotions are public, indicating that market demand still exists.
The report compares the operational models of regulated and illegal platforms: the former must be approved by PAGCOR, games are audited by third parties, and strict real-name authentication, age verification, and payment restrictions are enforced; the latter almost lack any verification mechanisms, have high payment flexibility, and even involve minors, debt accumulation, fraud, and privacy breaches. Data shows that illegal platforms offer an average of about 5,000 games, 72% more than the 2,900 offered by regulated platforms, and rely on high commissions to attract agents, exposing players to high-risk black market environments.
John Brylle L. Bae, Research Director at The Fourth Wall, points out that illegal platforms not only make high-risk players more vulnerable to harm but also expose the difficulties in law enforcement and the lack of public awareness. He emphasizes that the unregulated online gambling space urgently needs more targeted law enforcement measures and public education.
The study calls on the government and all sectors of society to recognize the risks posed by E-sabong, to prevent players, especially young people, from suffering economic and safety losses, and to continue to strengthen regulation and publicity to curb the spread of this underground industry.
