JL4 Answers Is E-Sabong Legal: What Executive Order No. 9 Did
E-sabong is not legal to offer or bet on: operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022, and Executive Order No. 9 of 28 December 2022 directs that the suspension continue.
- JL4 Llamado Dehado
- Llamado dehado are terms from the licensed cockpit, since e-sabong has been suspended since 2022: the llamado is the favoured bird and the dehado is the underdog.
- JL4 PD 449 Cockfighting Law, Section by Section
- The PD 449 cockfighting law of 9 May 1974 is what traditional cockfights still run under while e-sabong stays suspended since 2022.
- JL4 Sabong Hand Signals
- Sabong hand signals belong to the licensed cockpit, since e-sabong has been suspended since 2022: bettors use them to tell the kristo which side they back and in what denomination.
- JL4 Sabong Arena
- A sabong arena is the licensed cockpit of PD 449, the one lawful place for a cockfight now that e-sabong has been suspended since 2022.
- JL4 Explains What Is Tupada
- What is tupada in everyday use: a cockfight held outside a licensed cockpit or outside the allowed days, unlawful under PD 449 just as online sabong has been suspended since 2022.
Is e-sabong legal? The answer is no, because e-sabong operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022. Executive Order No. 9, signed by President Marcos on 28 December 2022, directed the continued suspension of all e-sabong operations.
This page explains what that suspension covers and how to spot a site that ignores it.
For the wider legal picture, read our sabong Philippines legal picture.
E-sabong suspension timeline: two dates, two different acts
The stop and the order are separate events with separate authors.
- 3 May 2022: a nationwide suspension of e-sabong operations was implemented. It began as a spoken order by President Duterte in a taped broadcast.
- 28 December 2022: Executive Order No. 9, titled “Directing the Continued Suspension of Electronic Sabong Operations Nationwide”, was signed by President Marcos. It took effect immediately.
The order recites why it was needed: an urgent need to reiterate the continued suspension, clarify the scope of existing regulations, and direct agencies to pursue an aggressive crackdown against illegal e-sabong operations.
What Executive Order No. 9 suspends
Section 1 suspends all e-sabong operations, including auxiliary operations, and names two activities in particular.
| Suspended activity | Section | Plain meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Live-streaming or broadcasting live cockfights outside cockpits or cockfighting arenas | 1(a) | A fight shown to viewers away from the premises where it is held |
| Online, remote or off-cockpit wagering on live cockfighting streamed or broadcast live | 1(b) | A bet placed from anywhere other than the cockpit, on any platform |
Section 1(b) applies regardless of where the betting platform is located, and it names platforms situated inside the cockpit or the premises. The order’s last paragraph in Section 1 keeps traditional cockfights authorised or licensed under existing laws outside the suspension. It does not ban the cockpit.
Is e-sabong legal today?
Is e-sabong legal while the order stands? No: every e-sabong operation is suspended nationwide, and the order tells PAGCOR, the DILG and the PNP to act against violators in accordance with law. The recitals add that PAGCOR’s earlier regulatory framework for e-sabong, including auxiliary operators and off-cockpit betting stations, sits behind the suspension.
The cockpit itself is a different case. A cockfight in a licensed cockpit runs under PD 449, and our reading of the PD 449 cockfighting law lays out when and where that is allowed.
Red flags of a site still offering online sabong betting
Any one of these signs tells you to leave the page. The order’s own wording is the yardstick.
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The site streams live cockfights to your phone or computer | Section 1(a) suspends live-streaming outside the cockpit |
| It takes bets from a screen on a live cockfight | Section 1(b) suspends remote and off-cockpit wagering |
| It says its betting platform sits inside a cockpit, so it is allowed | Section 1(b) names platforms inside cockpits too |
| It claims e-sabong is back but cites no order or PAGCOR notice | The only order on point directs the suspension to continue |
| It pushes you to move quickly or deposit first | A legitimate regulatory position can be read before you pay anything |
What you can verify yourself
You do not need to trust a site’s word about the law. Work through these four steps.
- Read Executive Order No. 9 in full on the Lawphil site and check Section 1.
- Read PAGCOR’s own pages for any notice on e-sabong.
- Ask your city or municipal hall whether a given cockpit holds a licence, since mayors issue them under PD 449.
- Compare the venue with our page on the cockpit arena and the checks it lists.
If a site fails step one, close it. Players must be 21 or older, and no site is a reason to bet.
FAQ
When did the e-sabong suspension start?
E-sabong operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022. Executive Order No. 9, signed on 28 December 2022, recites that date and directs the continued suspension.
Does the suspension cover traditional cockfights?
No. The order says the operations of traditional cockfights authorised or licensed under existing laws are not covered by the suspension. Those fights stay under PD 449 and local licences.
Pwede pa ba ang online sabong ngayon?
Hindi. Executive Order No. 9 says all e-sabong operations continue to be suspended nationwide, including live-streaming outside the cockpit and online or off-cockpit betting. If a site says otherwise, treat it as a red flag.
Who enforces the order?
PAGCOR coordinates implementation with local governments, other agencies and private entities. The DILG and the PNP assist PAGCOR and take appropriate action against violators in accordance with law. PAGCOR also reports regularly to the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.