PAGCOR urges public to report e-sabong sites accessible for betting overseas

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) on Wednesday called on the public to bring to the gaming regulator’s attention online cockfighting or e-sabong websites accessible for betting overseas. 

“We request the public to report to PAGCOR those websites which are accessible abroad for our proper disposition,” PAGCOR said in a statement.

The gaming regulator made the statement amid “emerging concern on the active participation of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the said games.”

“Offshore betting, or bets coming from players abroad, even if from Filipinos, are not allowed in e-sabong,” it said.

The gaming regulator added that its regulatory framework provides, in part, that the e-sabong platform shall not accept bets emanating from outside the Philippines and shall not be accessible in any way whatsoever outside the Philippines. 

“To ensure that this standard is met, applicants for e-sabong operations are required to submit a certification from a gaming laboratory attesting that the gaming websites are not accessible outside the Philippines and that Internet Protocol (IP) addresses emanating from other countries are blocked or restricted from accessing such websites,” PAGCOR said.

It said that to bolster the need to uphold the welfare of people who may succumb to the ills of irresponsible gaming, the framework on online betting further provides for the imposition of administrative penalties on operators who fail to comply with set standards and requirements. 

“With the institution of these controls, PAGCOR is able to ensure that the interests and welfare of our OFWs and their families are upheld and protected,” it added.
 
PAGCOR said it was not oblivious to the fact that certain websites are accessible abroad. 

“These, if any, are illegal websites operating outside the regulatory authority of PAGCOR,” it said. — VBL, GMA News