The Philippine News Agency confirmed the report that a major operation has been executed by the country’s law enforcement between July 1, 2022, and August 15, 2023, resulting in over a thousand arrests.
Persistent Survival of E-Sabong Despite Law Enforcement Measures
The operation is an integral part of the Philippines’ strategy to shut down e-sabong or online cockfighting, an activity given temporary legality by ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, but subsequently banned once more in light of the community reports tying kidnappings directly to this practice. Around 34 kidnappings were reported, though this is considered to be a modest number due to the shortfall of concrete data.
Regardless of the ban under the previous administration, the fascination for e-sabong persisted. The people taken into custody were involved in running as well as taking part in illicit gambling enterprises.
A police authority highlighted, “Our firm crackdown on illegal gambling e-sabong displays our undeviating commitment towards maintaining the rule of law.”
The recent string of arrests clearly represents the determination of the police to protect the community from illegal gambling and its increasingly harmful effects. The timing of this crackdown on such operations is particularly notable for the Philippines.
Development in the Philippines’ Gambling Scene
PAGCOR, the national regulator, anticipates launching an online casino named Casino Filipino which it anticipates will channel even more profits into the state’s funds. Concurrently, the regulator has been actively pursuing illegal offshore operators who have been operating without the necessary licenses and refusing to pay their dues.
The Philippines was recently implicated in a website hijacking incident in the United States, linked to the history of the country. A casino, based seemingly in the Philippines, bought a domain name.
