House passes bill banning e-sabong

MANILA, Philippines —  First offshore gaming, now e-sabong.

Voting 162-2, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the measure that will finally prohibit online cockfighting or e-sabong and other related illegal activities in the country.

Anti-illegal gambling advocate Rep. Bro. Eddie Villanueva lauded the overwhelming approval Wednesday of House Bill 11254, a measure that he authored for a total ban on e-sabong, which may soon see the light of day especially since the Marcos administration had banned Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Once enacted, all permits and licenses of e-sabong operators issued by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. shall be declared invalid, and no permits or licenses for such operations shall be issued.

Violators shall be punished by one year to 20-year imprisonment, or a fine of at least P500,000, or both at the discretion of the court.

If the offender is a public officer, he shall also be dismissed from service and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.