JILILUCK Cockfighting Law: Cockpit Licensing and the E-Sabong Suspension
Philippine cockfighting law is Presidential Decree No. 449: cockfights are allowed in licensed cockpits on set days, licensed by city or municipal mayors.
Key facts and contents
- JILILUCK Bullstag Explained
- A bullstag is a gamecock in the age class between a stag and a full cock: past its first season as a stag, not yet a mature cock.
- JILILUCK Cock Derby
- A cock derby is a tournament in which each entry fields a set number of cocks, and the format is named for that number: 3-cock, 4-cock or 5-cock.
- JILILUCK Ulutan Meaning
- Ulutan is the pairing of two gamecocks of matching class and build before a fight, so that each match is fair to both owners.
- JILILUCK Wala Meaning
- Wala is one of the two sides in a cockpit pairing, the opposite of meron.
- JILILUCK Tupada Sabong
- Tupada sabong is a cockfight.
- JILILUCK Is Sabong Legal in the Philippines? Cockpit Versus Online Stream
- Is sabong legal?
Cockfighting law in the Philippines starts with one decree, and the live rule today comes with one condition: e-sabong operations have been suspended since 2022. Executive Order No. 9, signed on 28 December 2022 by President Marcos Jr., directs that suspension to continue nationwide. This page sets out the decree, who licenses a cockpit and where the suspension fits, using the texts themselves.
It is a reading aid for the law, not a route to any betting service, and it points to the six pages that explain the vocabulary.
Cockfighting law and sabong law: what governs what
Sabong law is two instruments read together, plus local licensing. The table matches each to its job.
| Instrument | What it does | Section to read |
|---|---|---|
| Presidential Decree No. 449 (9 May 1974) | Governs the establishment, operation, maintenance and ownership of cockpits | Section 2 |
| City or municipal licence | Lets one cockpit run in that place | Section 6 |
| Executive Order No. 9 (28 December 2022) | Continues the nationwide suspension of e-sabong | Section 1 |
| PAGCOR’s role in the order | Coordinates implementation with local governments and agencies | Section 2 of the order |
Each row stands alone: the decree covers the cockpit, the order covers streaming and remote betting.
Presidential Decree 449: what the decree says
The decree is titled the Cockfighting Law of 1974 and was signed by President Marcos on 9 May 1974. Its recitals call cockfighting a popular, traditional and customary form of recreation, and say it should not be made a tool of uncontrolled gambling.
Presidential decree 449 sets out these rules in its own words:
- Section 5(a): only Filipino citizens not otherwise inhibited by existing laws may own, manage and operate cockpits.
- Section 5(b): only one cockpit is allowed in each city or municipality, or two where the population is over one hundred thousand.
- Section 5(d): cockfighting is allowed only in licensed cockpits, on Sundays and legal holidays and during local fiestas for not more than three days.
- Section 5(f): no gambling of any kind is permitted on the premises during cockfights.
Read together, the decree is a licensing law: it limits who runs a cockpit, how many exist and on which days fights happen.
Who licenses a cockpit and who works in it
Section 6 authorises city and municipal mayors to issue licences for the operation and maintenance of cockpits, subject to the approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorised representative. Executive Order No. 9 adds that the Local Government Code, in Sections 447(3)(v) and 458(3)(v), tells local governments to authorise and license cockpits and regulate cockfighting.
People who work a fight are licensed too. Section 7 says gaffers, referees, bet takers and promoters may not act without a licence renewable every year on their birthmonth from the city or municipality.
| Role (Section 4 term) | Plain meaning | Licensed under |
|---|---|---|
| Gaffer (taga tari) | Arms the fighting cocks with gaffs | Section 7 |
| Referee (sentenciador) | Oversees the fight and announces the result | Section 7 |
| Bet taker or promoter | Takes bets and pays the winners | Section 7 |
| Bettor | Bets with others or through the bet taker | No licence listed |
Days a licensed cockpit may hold fights
Section 5(d) names the days, and also lists days when no cockfighting may be held: 30 December (Rizal Day), 12 June (Independence Day), 30 November (National Heroes Day), Holy Thursday, Good Friday, election or referendum day and registration days for them.
Two named examples show how the rule works:
| Day | Licensed cockpit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A Sunday | Fight allowed | Section 5(d) names Sundays |
| Good Friday | No fight | Section 5(d) lists it as prohibited |
| 12 June | No fight | Independence Day is on the prohibited list |
| A local fiesta | Fight allowed for up to three days | Section 5(d) names local fiestas |
Fairs, carnivals and expositions may also host fights for three days on a resolution of the local body, and Section 5(e) allows tourist and charity occasions with further approvals.
The e-sabong suspension: where it sits in the law
Executive Order No. 9 recites that a nationwide suspension of e-sabong operations was implemented on 3 May 2022, and Section 1 directs that all e-sabong operations, including auxiliary ones, continue to be suspended nationwide. It names two suspended activities: live-streaming or broadcasting of live cockfights outside cockpits, and online or remote wagering on streamed matches, regardless of where the betting platform sits.
Its last sentence of Section 1 keeps traditional cockfights authorised or licensed under existing laws outside the suspension. Section 2 tells PAGCOR to coordinate with local governments and agencies, with DILG and PNP assisting.
The JILILUCK lobby’s Sports lane lists a tile labelled DS88 Sabong. Treat it as a lane label only: e-sabong is suspended, and this site does not describe it as something to play.
Penalties in the decree
Section 8 sets penalties for violating the decree. Offenders who finance, own, manage or operate a cockpit, or who act as gaffer, referee or bet taker, face prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of two thousand pesos. Any other offender faces prision correccional or a fine of not less than six hundred pesos nor more than two thousand pesos, or both.
| Offender | Penalty in Section 8 |
|---|---|
| Financer, owner, manager or operator of a cockpit, or a gaffer, referee or bet taker | Prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of two thousand pesos |
| Any other offender | Prision correccional or a fine of six hundred to two thousand pesos, or both |
Executive Order No. 9 also recites that a later decree, PD No. 1602, prescribes stiffer penalties for illegal or unauthorised cockfighting, so read that text for current penalties. The decree and the order are both short, and reading them in full takes only a few minutes.
The six pages under this law
Each spoke answers one question the decree raises:
- Whether sabong is legal compares a licensed cockpit with an online stream.
- Tupada sabong in plain words explains the term the decree lists.
- The ulutan meaning and fight-day order covers the pre-fight stage.
- Wala meaning, with meron and llamado explains the two sides.
- Bullstag, stag and cock by age covers the age terms.
- How a cock derby is scored covers the entry formats.
For a wider view of Philippine gaming regulation, see PAGCOR online rules for casinos. Judging any gaming site starts with checking whether JILILUCK is legit, and responsible play limits and help applies to every kind of wager.
FAQ
What is the cockfighting law in the Philippines?
Presidential Decree No. 449 of 9 May 1974, titled the Cockfighting Law of 1974. It governs the establishment, operation, maintenance and ownership of cockpits.
Who licenses a cockpit?
Section 6 authorises city and municipal mayors to issue licences, subject to the approval of the Chief of Constabulary or an authorised representative. The Local Government Code, as Executive Order No. 9 recites, also lets local governments license cockpits.
Is e-sabong allowed right now?
No. Executive Order No. 9, signed on 28 December 2022, directs the continued suspension of all e-sabong operations nationwide, including live-streaming outside cockpits and remote betting.
Does the suspension cover traditional cockfights?
No. Section 1 of the order says traditional cockfights authorised or licensed under existing laws are not covered by the suspension.
Where can I read the texts myself?
Both are published on the Lawphil site: Presidential Decree No. 449 of 1974 and Executive Order No. 9 of 2022. Read the section numbers quoted on this page against them.
Is a tupada the same as a derby?
Section 4 of the decree lists cockfighting derby, pintakasi or tupada as terms for the same game, with equivalent terms in different localities.