JL4 Sabong Arena: Who Licenses It and What It Must Meet
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 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 Answers Is E-Sabong Legal
- 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 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.
The sabong arena is where the 2022 rules draw their line. E-sabong operations were suspended nationwide on 3 May 2022, and Executive Order No. 9, signed by President Marcos on 28 December 2022, directed the suspension to continue, while leaving traditional cockfights in licensed cockpits alone. This page covers what makes a sabong arena licensed under PD 449, and it connects back to our sabong Philippines overview.
What a sabong arena must meet to be licensed
PD 449 lists the conditions for a venue. The table puts each one beside the section that sets it.
| Condition | Section | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | 5(a) | Only Filipino citizens not otherwise inhibited by existing laws may own, manage and operate cockpits |
| Number | 5(b) | One cockpit per city or municipality, or two where the population is over one hundred thousand |
| Location | 5(c) | Within the areas a zoning law or ordinance prescribes |
| Building permit | 5(c) | Approved or issued by the city or provincial engineer under local building codes |
| Licence | 6 | Issued by the city or municipal mayor, subject to the Chief of Constabulary’s approval |
| Premises | 5(f) | No gambling of any kind on the premises during cockfights |
The decree’s wording speaks of the Chief of Constabulary. The recitals of Executive Order No. 9 add that the Local Government Code of 1991 lets local governments authorise and license the establishment, operation and maintenance of cockpits.
Who licenses a sabong arena
Two licences matter in a cockpit, and they belong to different people.
- The cockpit licence for the venue, issued by the city or municipal mayor under Section 6.
- The yearly licence for each gaffer, referee and bet taker or promoter, renewable on their birth month from the city or municipality where the cockfight is held, under Section 7.
Only licensed gaffers, referees, bet takers or promoters may officiate. Our explainer on llamado and dehado shows the roles those officials play on the floor of the pit.
Where a sabong arena may be built
Section 5(c) says that without a zoning law or ordinance, local executives must see that no cockpit is built within or near the places in this table.
| Not within or near | Wording in Section 5(c) |
|---|---|
| Homes and shops | Existing residential or commercial areas |
| Care | Hospitals |
| Learning | School buildings |
| Worship | Churches |
| Government | Other public buildings |
Cockpits already in existence that did not conform were given three years from the decree’s effectivity to comply. Your city or municipal hall holds the zoning map and the licence record for the cockpit in your area.
When a sabong arena may hold cockfights
A licensed arena does not run every day. Section 5(d) allows cockfighting on Sundays and legal holidays and during local fiestas for not more than three days.
| Occasion | Limit |
|---|---|
| Sundays and legal holidays | Allowed in a licensed cockpit |
| Local fiesta | Not more than three days |
| Provincial, city or municipal fair, carnival or exposition | Three days, by resolution, not within the month of a local fiesta, not more than two occasions a year |
| Tourists, balikbayans or charity | One time within a year, not exceeding three days |
| December 30, June 12, November 30, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Election or Referendum Day and registration days | None |
A fight outside those frames is the case our page on the tupada meaning covers.
What a sabong arena visit asks of you
A venue that follows PD 449 is a place for watching a fight. It is not a place for any other gambling, and online betting on a live fight is something Executive Order No. 9 suspends.
- Players must be 21 or older, and this site gives no encouragement to bet.
- A licensed cockpit holds a licence from the local mayor’s office, so ask the city or municipal hall to confirm it.
- A venue that advertises streamed fights or remote betting is advertising what the order suspends.
FAQ
What is a sabong arena?
It is the venue where a cockfight is held. Under PD 449, cockfighting is allowed only in licensed cockpits, except where the decree itself provides otherwise.
Who gives a cockpit its licence?
City and municipal mayors are authorised to issue cockpit licences under Section 6 of PD 449, subject to approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorised representative. Executive Order No. 9 recites that the Local Government Code of 1991 lets local governments authorise and license cockpits.
Can a sabong arena show live online streams of its fights?
Executive Order No. 9 suspends live-streaming or broadcasting of live cockfights outside cockpits or cockfighting arenas, and it suspends online or off-cockpit betting. The suspension applies even to betting platforms situated inside the cockpit.
Is gambling other than betting on the fight allowed inside?
No. Section 5(f) of PD 449 permits no gambling of any kind on the premises of the cockpit during cockfights. Owners, managers and lessees who allow it face the penalties in Section 8.