The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) published an updated list of e-sabong operators licensed and allowed to commence operations, dated April 28, 20221. The register names nine companies and marks five with an asterisk, which the document defines as "Suspended licensees"1. PAGCOR's E-Sabong Licensing Department (ESLD) handles the licensing function, including processing applications and issuing licenses to conduct e-sabong operations2.
The register gives each company's commencement date, brand and registered websites1:
| Company | Commencement date | Brand | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belvedere Vista Corporation | April 16, 2021 | Sabong Express | Licensed |
| Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. | April 08, 2021 | Pitmasters Live | Licensed |
| E-Sports Encuentro Live Corporation | June 09, 2021 | Encuentro Live! | Suspended |
| Visayas Cockers Club, Inc. | June 03, 2021 | Sabong International Ph | Suspended |
| Jade Entertainment And Gaming Technologies, Inc. | September 07, 2021 | Jade Sabong | Suspended |
| Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corporation | October 01, 2021 | NCA | Suspended |
| Philippine Cockfighting International Inc. | October 23, 2021 | Platinum Cockers Club | Suspended |
| Golden Buzzer, Inc. | October 28, 2021 | BAGWISAN | Suspended |
| Kamura Highlands Gaming and Holdings Inc. | May 01, 2022 | World Slasher Live | Licensed |
The document is headed "LIST OF E-SABONG OPERATORS LICENSED AND ALLOWED TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS" and carries the line "Updated as of : April 28, 2022"1. PAGCOR's regulatory page links the same list under the title "List of E-Sabong Operators - Licensed and allowed to commence operations as of 04282022"2. The page also carries a public advisory image referring to the suspension of operations, and lists an accredited off-cockpit betting station register dated 031420222.
PAGCOR states that regulation of online sabong is handled by the corporation under its charter, a position it says was clarified by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice, while live cockfighting in cockpit arenas is regulated by the local government unit concerned2. It defines e-sabong as online or off-site wagering on live cockfighting streamed from cockpits licensed by those local units2.
"Suspended licensees"
What it means for players
The register is the reference point for whether an e-sabong brand is licensed to operate. Six companies on the April 28 list, Encuentro Live!, Sabong International Ph, Jade Sabong, NCA, Platinum Cockers Club and Golden Buzzer, Inc., are marked suspended1. Players holding balances or pending bets with a suspended licensee have no stated route to recovery in these documents; PAGCOR's page does not set out what happens to player funds at a suspended operator2. The register also lists the websites each licensed company may use, so a site not on the list is not covered by that license1. PAGCOR publishes self-banning and family-banning application forms through the ESLD2. For background on the market, see Sabong: Cockfight Betting in the Philippines and E-Sabong: Online Cockfight Betting and Its Legal Status; to verify a license, see How to Check a PAGCOR Gaming License.
What happens next
No further steps are set out in the register or on PAGCOR's e-sabong page beyond the April 28, 2022 update date1. Whether the suspensions are temporary or permanent, and their grounds, have not been reported in these documents.
Sources2 sources
- List of E-Sabong Operators Licensed and Allowed to Commence Operations, pagcor.ph
- PAGCOR Regulatory, pagcor.ph
