Despite the promise of winning big, most online cockfighting bettors, players and agents believe the game’s dangers outweigh the benefits and want it to end, according to an online survey conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año shared the results of the agency’s “online sentiment survey” following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to halt all e-sabong operations nationwide.
Duterte made the call because of DILG’s recommendation.
In a statement, Año said the DILG survey showed 62 percent or nearly two-thirds of the respondents –– including e-sabong agents, employees, bettors or players –– wanted the new gambling platform to grind to a halt.
34% want it to continue but with tighter regulation while 4% completely support it.
A total of 8,463 respondents were polled by the DILG nationwide from April 19-20, 2022 to gauge public perceptions of e-sabong and to provide the President with a basis for his decision on the fate of the game.
The respondents were persons who are engaged in e-Sabong whether they are agents, employees, bettors or players, and non-participants or non-players but related or acquainted with the three stakeholders mentioned.
Año said Duterte’s decision to halt e-sabong operations validates DILG’s assessment of the situation on the ground and the public’s pulse.
“The DILG recommended suspending the operations of e-Sabong until a better set of framework and regulations are formulated, in such a way that it will not significantly harm any of the stakeholders and and lead to the moral decay of society,” he said.
“Nagiging ugat pa ito ng tukso sa mga kabataan o menor de edad na makagawa ng krimen para lang may pangpusta sa e-Sabong. Marami itong repercussion sa ating lipunan kasama na ang mental health issues at ang pagkasira ng mga pamilya,” Año added.

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