Despite a nationwide ban on 2022, unregulated online cockfighting or e-sabong operations continue to thrive on illicit gambling platforms, according to sociocultural research firm The Fourth Wall.
The report detailed how these unregulated online cockfighting games operate outside the strict protocols of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
The research firm said that unregulated gambling sites, including JOLIBET and OKEBET, are still hosting e-sabong events despite two years after the ban.
"Our latest report demonstrates how prohibited games like e-sabong remain easily accessible on unregulated platforms even to high-profile figures, underscoring persistent enforcement challenges," John Brylle L. Bae, Research Director at The Fourth Wall, said.
The research study closely compared the regulated platforms, including BingoPlus, PlayTime, CasinoPlus, ArenaPlus, Bet88, OKBet, and 747 Live, and unregulated platforms such as PHDream, PHFun, PH365, Betso88, 1xBet, Jili77, and OkeBet.
"Unregulated platforms offer an average of approximately 5,000 games, 72% more than regulated platforms, which offer around 2,900 games," the report said.
"Unlike regulated platforms, which must secure approval from PAGCOR and submit games for third-party auditing, unregulated sites release games without any verification, exposing players to potentially fake or manipulated content," the research firm added.
RH Sophia Gans reported that the firm noted that numerous gambling platforms still host e-sabong matches and actively promote them on social media sites such as Facebook through groups and private messages to invite players.
The firm also noted that unregulated online gambling have provided "higher-value bonuses of up to 108% when joining unregulated platforms, with new player promos, cashbacks, and rebates that outpace regulated competitors."
According to the firm, such offers are frequently and prominently marketed to attract and retain users.
While some games require account registration, they remain widely promoted, which the researchers said indicates strong demand and the resilience of illegal operators.
Player verification measures vary sharply between regulated and unregulated gaming platforms.
According to industry reports, regulated sites under the PAGCOR follow stricter protocols, such as displaying a PAGCOR-branded pop-up during registration to verify player eligibility.
"This process requires valid government IDs, age checks, and sometimes cross-checks with e-wallet registration details," the Fourth Wall noted.
Unregulated platforms, on the other hand, reportedly impose little to no “know-your-customer” (KYC) requirements, with some only asking for a phone number or email address to register.
"This lack of oversight has seen cases of minors participating on unregulated platforms, some of whom shared stories of incurring debts, falling victim to scams and fraud, and facing privacy issues from spam texts.," said the researh firm.
"Regulated platforms support popular e-wallets such as GCash, Maya, QRPH, and bank transfers, but they cap transactions to comply with anti-money laundering policies. Unregulated platforms, however, allow payments with no transaction limits, which can lead to excessive losses for players," the study shows.
In December 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through Executive Order No. 9, ordered the suspension of all e-sabong operations nationwide.
The directive also covered the cessation of all online and remote betting on cockfighting, as well as the live-streaming of such events outside official venues.
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