Pagcor approves online sabong

THE government-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has given its go signal to “online sabong (cockfighting)” to QUALIfiED OPERATORS, CITING, AMONG OTHERS, the urgent need of the government for additional funds because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is also imperative that we must provide protection to online cockfighting aficionados that they are not cheated or robbed of their hard-earned money, thus the need to give them a license,” Jose Tria, senior vice president for Offshore and Online Gaming, said on Monday.

Tria explained it would be easier for Pagcor to monitor and protect the interest of online bettors if the online cockfighting operator has a license.

Five companies applied for license to operate online sabong, but only two of them were allowed to start full commercial operations.

These were the Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. of Pitmaster Live and Belvedere Corp. They were issued licenses to operate cockfighting online after complying with the documentary requirements that include their paid-up capital and performance bond.

Trias warned those who operate without a license from Pagcor will be arrested. Pagcor collects P100 million per month from each licensed online sabong company.

The agency’s online gaming revenues have contracted by almost half as income of Philippine offshore gaming operators declined by as much as 80 percent during the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, Pagcor earned around P600 million per month in regulatory fees.

In October last year, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed the resumption of cockpit cockfighting in areas under modified general community quarantine on a limited capacity but these were stopped again last March because of the rising cases of Covid-19.

The IATF on April 3 decided to continue the ban on cockfighting except for online or e-sabong.