On February 21, 2019, Philippines House Bill 8910 was unanimously approved for a third and final reading in the PH congress. HB8910 was eventually signed into law. The bill strengthens the GAB (Games and Amusements Board), which handles the licensing and oversight of all professional sports in the nation, including sabong. 2x5834
The new agency works in tandem with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), but its duties would lie more on the judicial and legislative side, while PAGCOR is the nation’s primary gambling operator.
While the bill covers many avenues and serves to create an overarching gambling oversight body, one of the most controversial aspects of the legislation is its commitment to ban illegal e-sabong, or online cockfighting.
This would be done by strengthening cockfighting regulations, clamping down on illegal cockpit operations, and setting into motion a series of rules and regulations about who can run such rings, how much they must disburse to the government in taxes, and how many venues can be accessible to Filipinos (based on municipal population size).
Still, though the bill has far-reaching implications across the world of sports in the Philippines, the main point of interest remains the country’s most interesting national pastime. Thanks to the Internet, e-sabong is widespread, and the government is looking for a way to contain it.
While HB 8910 would not ban e-sabong outright, it would totally bar it in its current form. The GAB may seek to approve regulated online sabong in the future, however, as the bill allows for that potentiality. For further details on this proposed law, we cover it in depth below.
HB 8910 is a merger or consolidation of two separate bills:
Representative Rodel Batocabe (deceased) and Winston Castelo sponsored HB 4843, while Representative Joseph Bernos sponsored HB 6983. Based on the reported thrust of HB 8910, it seems that the bulk of the law derives from HB 4843, but that most people are interested in the cockfighting aspect per HB 6983. You can read the official summary of HB 8910 here.
The proposal had unified multipartisan , and it covers a series of gambling reforms and regulatory realignments. In total, the law – implements the following (though this is not a comprehensive list):
These are the broad strokes. Chapter VI, Section 54 also gives the GAB oversight over non-gambling amusements. Per the text:
“Setting Up of a One-Stop Shop – The GAB shall set up a one-stop shop for the issuance of licenses or permits for the conduct of international amusement events or productions, such as concerts, theatrical plays, circus acts, among others, in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Tourism, and other governmental agencies concerned.”
HB 8910 has a lot to say about cockfighting in general and e-sabong in particular. The basic outline of the new proposals is as follows, giving the GAB the power to:
While the proposed law does not outright ban the concept of e-sabong, it does ban the current underground nature of online cockfighting betting. Whether or not e-sabong itself becomes a regulated pastime in the Philippines is up for debate, as HB 8910 does not actually authorize the events themselves. It merely gives the GAB the authority to do so in the future if it wishes.
While HB 8910 does impact gambling in the islands, it has no real impact on brick-and-mortar casinos there, nor does it allow PH residents to gamble online at POGOs. Additionally, the law does not bar the use of legal offshore betting sites for Philippine residents. For most gamblers, the result of the law – if ed – will be hardly noticeable.
However, fans of the many illegal cockpits in the islands may see a slow impact from the age of HB 8910. The legislation is unlikely to stop underground sabong, but it will make accessing legal cockpits easier and more straightforward, and it will have procedural protections for both bettors and operators.
Yes, but only insofar as its potential to legalize regulated e-sabong. The bill does not address other forms of online gambling, nor does it propose legalizing online casinos for PH residents.
If you wish to sign up with a reputable offshore casino, you will still be able to do so safely and legally, provided you use one of the vetted operators listed here. While these outlets do not offer betting on sabong traditionally, they do allow for betting on a wide scope of local and international fare, like PBA basketball, NBA basketball, soccer, MMA, boxing, hockey, American football, baseball, and more.
Filipinos can also use these sites to legally enjoy real money games of blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, keno, baccarat, mini-baccarat, slots, and specialty titles. Since PH natives cannot access POGOs, these offshore casino sites are the best ways to enjoy the full gamut of gambling over the Internet.
In short, HB 8910 is best viewed as a regulatory gambling reform bill, taking some of the judicial and oversight onus off of PAGCOR, which is the chief gambling operator in the nation.
With the exception of e-sabong and various general cockfighting rules and regulations, there is nothing fundamentally new about the bill that will change the face of gambling in the Philippines.