The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of the Philippines recently disclosed that from 2023 to 2025, a total of 52,842 domains and subdomains related to electronic cockfighting (e-sabong) were shut down.
Alvin Navarro, the director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center of DICT, stated during a hearing at the Congressional Human Rights Committee that the crackdown was most intense in 2023, with 43,984 websites shut down in one go; in 2024, 4,914 were removed, and by 2025, another 3,949 were dismantled.
Despite the large number of shutdowns, Navarro candidly expressed that illegal platforms still show signs of a "phoenix rising from the ashes." Due to vulnerabilities in payment channels, online platforms, and promotional agency chains, these sites often quickly change their domain names and come back online after being banned, making law enforcement extremely challenging.
In fact, electronic cockfighting had already been completely banned in the Philippines as early as 2022, but studies show that this form of gambling is still active on unregulated gray platforms. Websites like Jolibet and Okebet continue to offer cockfighting events, and many players can simply register to place bets. On social media, agents continue to recruit people through Facebook groups and private messages, continuously driving traffic to these platforms.
Experts warn that the risks of illegal online cockfighting go far beyond gambling itself and may involve money laundering, fraud, and other transnational crimes. The public is urged to remain vigilant and stay away from such illegal platforms.
