DICT: 53K illegal e-sabong websites taken down

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it has already shut down more than 53,000 websites linked to illegal online cockfighting or e-sabong, underscoring government efforts to stamp out illicit online activities.

“53,000 online sabong sites na yung na-takedown,” DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda said at a press briefing Monday.

(We have already taken down 53,000 e-sabong sites.)

“Ang take down powers ng DICT-CICC ‘pag nakita naman namin yan, kaya na naming i-takedown yung URL. At siyempre yung URL na yan, ilegal yung buong URL. So ‘pag tinanggal namin, wala na,” he added.

(Under the DICT-CICC’s takedown powers, once we spot these sites, we can immediately remove the URL. Since the entire site is illegal, once it’s taken down, it’s gone.) 

The move comes three years after the government banned e-sabong in 2022, following public outrage over its social costs, including gambling addiction, debt, and criminal cases tied to the industry.

Despite the prohibition, investigations and media reports show that illegal e-sabong operations continue to thrive online, often using private groups on social media and encrypted messaging apps. A 2024 study by research firm The Fourth Wall found that many of these underground platforms have little to no age verification, auditing, or player protection compared to regulated gambling outlets.

The trade has also been linked to serious crimes. In 2021 and 2022, at least 34 sabungeros went missing across Luzon, suspected victims of kidnap-for-ransom and murder connected to cockfighting syndicates. Authorities believe their bodies may have been dumped in Taal Lake.

The ongoing operations have prompted criticism in Congress. Senator Erwin Tulfo recently questioned the “inaction” of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), noting that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) had already asked law enforcement to shut down illegal gambling portals. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News