The House of Representatives approved three bills aimed at banning online cockfighting (e-sabong) and tightening regulations on traditional cockfighting operations.
House Bill No. 11254 seeks to prohibit all forms of online betting on live cockfighting events, with penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and fines reaching P5 million for violators.
Another bill, HB No. 11253, sets strict rules against constructing and operating cockpits near residential areas, schools, and hospitals, with penalties including imprisonment and fines.
HB No. 11044 strengthens the role of local government units in regulating cockfighting and limits ownership of cockpits to Filipino citizens or companies mostly owned by Filipinos.
The measures come amid government efforts to curb e-sabong after the PNP blocked thousands of related websites, with lawmakers exploring off-cockpit betting as an alternative to offset losses from the recent ban on offshore gaming operators.
Source: PhilNews24 | June 5, 2025
