Senator Joel Villanueva rejected proposals to revive online cockfighting, or e-sabong to make up for revenue losses caused by the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
“We have just defeated an enemy with the POGO ban, and now some are considering resurrecting e-sabong, which is far worse because it directly targets our kababayans from all walks of life,” said Villanueva.
“While we badly need revenues, the choice should not be between the devil and the deep blue sea. We want our revenues coming from legitimate, legal, and sustainable sources,” he added.
Villanueva filed Senate Bill No. 1281, seeking to prohibit all forms of online gambling in the country.
“No matter how you look at it, the social costs of gambling overshadow the intended benefits,” he said.
Prior to the e-sabong ban in May 2022, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reminded operators to pay their tax obligations after a Senate probe revealed they made billions from online “talpak.”
The BIR and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) also failed to withhold the 20-percent tax from the winnings of online sabong operators since virtual cockfighting began in 2020.
PAGCOR admitted in a February 2024 Senate hearing that e-sabong operations continue despite the prohibition. The hearing also found that 789 e-sabong operations are still active, violating the ban.
Villanueva urged law enforcement agencies, such as the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, to implement the same rigorous measures against e-sabong that have been applied with POGOs to prevent its resurgence.IMT
