NN777 Cockfighting Law: Licensed Cockpits vs the E-Sabong Suspension
E-sabong operations have been suspended nationwide since 2022 under Executive Order No. 9.
- NN777 Sabong Live
- E-sabong operations have been suspended nationwide since 2022 under Executive Order No. 9, so live-streamed sabong and online betting on it are suspended.
- NN777 Gamefowl Vocabulary
- A gamefowl is a fowl kept for cockfighting, and Sweater, Kelso, Roundhead and Hatch are bloodline names breeders use.
- NN777 Talpak Meaning for Filipino Sabong Fans
- Talpak is the call to place a bet at a cockpit.
- NN777 Parehas Meaning and the Other Sabong Odds Calls
- Parehas means even odds at the cockpit, where the two sides risk equal amounts.
E-sabong operations have been suspended nationwide since 2022, under Executive Order No. 9, which President Marcos Jr. signed on 28 December 2022.
What the law still allows is the traditional cockfight in a licensed cockpit, under PD 449, the Cockfighting Law of 1974. This page quotes both texts so you can tell which activity falls under which.
The vocabulary pages sit beside it: sabong live streams and online wagering, gamefowl vocabulary and bloodline names, what talpak means at the pit and the parehas meaning and odds calls.
Cockfighting under PD 449: the terms the decree defines
Section 4 of PD 449 gives cockfighting its legal vocabulary. It treats “cockfighting derby, pintakasi or tupada” as the same thing, along with equivalent terms in other localities. The table lists the roles it defines in the order the section does.
| Section 4 term | What the decree says the person or thing is |
|---|---|
| Cockfighting | The commonly known game or term “cockfighting derby, pintakasi or tupada”, or its equivalent in a Philippine locality |
| Bet taker or promoter | A person who calls and takes care of bets, orders the cockfight to begin, then distributes won bets after deducting a commission |
| Gaffer (taga tari) | A person knowledgeable in arming fighting cocks with a gaff on one or both legs |
| Referee (sentenciador) | A person who oversees the gaffing, judges the cocks’ condition and announces the winner, a tie or a no contest |
| Bettor | A person who bets with money or other things of value, with other bettors or through the bet taker, and may own the fighting cock |
Cockfighting legal: who may own and license a cockpit
PD 449 answers the legal question for cockpits in five rules you can number off. They sit in Sections 5, 6 and 7, and every one is a condition on a physical, licensed cockpit.
- Only Filipino citizens not otherwise inhibited by existing laws may own, manage and operate cockpits (Section 5(a)).
- Only one cockpit is allowed in each city or municipality, or two where the population is over one hundred thousand (Section 5(b)).
- Cockpits go in the areas that zoning law or ordinance prescribes; without one, local executives keep them away from residential and commercial areas, hospitals, schools, churches and other public buildings (Section 5(c)).
- City and municipal mayors may issue the licence, subject to the approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorized representative (Section 6).
- Gaffers, referees and bet takers or promoters need a licence renewable every year in their birth month from the city or municipality where the cockfight is held (Section 7).
EO 9 repeats the local-licensing point from the Local Government Code of 1991: Sections 447(3)(v) and 458(3)(v) have local government units authorize and license cockpits and regulate cockfighting.
When cockfights may be held
Section 5(d) sets the calendar. The rule is “licensed cockpits during Sundays and legal holidays and during local fiestas for not more than three days”, and the table lays out the rest.
| Occasion | What Section 5(d) says |
|---|---|
| Sundays and legal holidays | Allowed in licensed cockpits |
| Local fiesta | Allowed for not more than three days |
| Provincial, city or municipal fair, carnival or exposition | Three days, on a resolution of the province, city or municipality, with the approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorized representative |
| Fair cockfights, limits | None within the month of a local fiesta, and no more than two occasions a year in the same city or municipality |
| Barred days | Rizal Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, election or referendum day and registration days |
Section 5(e) adds one-time permissions of up to three days a year for foreign dignitaries, tourists, returning Filipinos and charitable fund-raising campaigns, in licensed cockpits or playgrounds and parks.
Cockfighting betting: what EO 9 suspends
Betting on a cockfight is built into the decree: the bettor and the bet taker are both defined in Section 4, and the bet taker is the person who takes the bets at the cockpit. EO 9 deals with the other kind of betting. Section 1 says all e-sabong operations, including auxiliary ones, continue to be suspended nationwide, and it names two activities.
| EO 9 Section 1 item | The activity it suspends |
|---|---|
| (a) | Live-streaming or broadcasting of live cockfights outside cockpits, arenas or premises where cockfights are being held |
| (b) | Online, remote or off-cockpit wagering on live cockfighting matches streamed or broadcast live, regardless of where the betting platform is located, including platforms situated inside the cockpit |
| Not covered | The operations of traditional cockfights authorized or licensed under existing laws |
The order’s own recital records that a nationwide suspension of e-sabong operations was implemented on 3 May 2022. Section 2 has the DILG and the PNP assist PAGCOR and take appropriate action against violators in accordance with law. Section 6 makes the order effective immediately.
NN777 Cockfighting: a menu label under the suspension
The NN777 lobby menu carries a Cockfighting item, and e-sabong stays suspended nationwide under EO 9 while it does. This site treats that item as a label you may see and nothing more. For the lobby’s full menu, read the NN777 casino lobby menu.
What PD 449 forbids inside a cockpit
Section 5(f) says no gambling of any kind is permitted on the premises of the cockpit during cockfights, and the owner, manager or lessee is liable along with the violators. Section 8 sets two penalty bands for any violation of the decree or the rules under it.
| Section 8 band | Who it covers | Penalty in the decree’s words |
|---|---|---|
| a | Financer, owner, manager or operator of a cockpit; gaffer, referee or bet taker; anyone allowing, promoting or taking part in other gambling on the premises during cockfights | Prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of two thousand pesos (₱2,000), with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency |
| b | Any other offender | Prision correccional or a fine of not less than ₱600 nor more than ₱2,000, or both, at the discretion of the court |
Where each cockfighting term is explained
Each companion page answers one question the decree and the order leave open to a reader. Use the table to pick the one that matches yours.
| Page | The question it answers |
|---|---|
| Sabong live and online wagering | Is watching or betting on sabong live online legal today? |
| Gamefowl names and bloodlines | What is a gamefowl, and what do the bloodline names refer to? |
| Talpak at the cockpit | What does talpak mean, and what is the position online? |
| Parehas meaning in sabong | What does parehas mean, and how do the other odds calls compare? |
Read the sources yourself
You can check every statement above against two documents.
- Open Presidential Decree No. 449 on the Lawphil site and read Sections 4 to 8.
- Open Executive Order No. 9 (2022) on the same site and read Section 1.
- Read responsible gaming in the Philippines for the 21+ rule and where to get help if betting stops being fun.
- Read how to check whether NN777 is legit for how to look up PAGCOR’s published lists yourself.
- Read about this NN777 reference site for what this site is and what it is not.
FAQ
Is cockfighting legal in the Philippines?
Traditional cockfighting in a licensed cockpit is governed by Presidential Decree No. 449, which allows it only in licensed cockpits on Sundays, legal holidays and local fiestas of up to three days, with the fair and tourist exceptions in Section 5. E-sabong, meaning live-streamed cockfights and online or remote betting on them, has been suspended nationwide since 2022 by Executive Order No. 9.
Is online sabong legal?
Executive Order No. 9, signed on 28 December 2022, continues the suspension of all e-sabong operations nationwide. Section 1 names live-streaming of cockfights outside the cockpit and online or remote betting on them, regardless of where the betting platform sits.
On which days may a licensed cockpit hold cockfights?
Section 5(d) of PD 449 says Sundays and legal holidays, and local fiestas for not more than three days, plus a three-day fair, carnival or exposition on the terms the section sets. It bars cockfights on Rizal Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and election, referendum and registration days.
Who may own and run a cockpit?
Section 5(a) of PD 449 allows only Filipino citizens not otherwise inhibited by existing laws to own, manage and operate cockpits. Section 5(b) allows one cockpit per city or municipality, or two where the population is over one hundred thousand.
Who issues a cockpit licence?
Section 6 of PD 449 authorizes city and municipal mayors to issue cockpit licences, subject to the approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorized representative. EO 9 adds that the Local Government Code of 1991 has local government units license cockpits and regulate cockfighting.
May I read the NN777 Cockfighting menu item as a legal way to bet online?
No. The lobby lists Cockfighting as a menu label, and e-sabong remains suspended nationwide under Executive Order No. 9. Read Section 1 of that order for yourself before you treat any online cockfighting offer as lawful.