Philippines could tax online cockfighting events

The measure seeks to impose a tax of 5 per cent on gross revenues gained from offsite betting activities on locally licensed games. 

The Philippines.- Legislators in the Philippines are proposing the introduction of new taxes on legalised sabong events (cockfights) transmitted online as well as other online gaming activities.  

Due to lockdown measures and a drop in gaming tax income, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) has given the green light for legal e-sabong events in authorised venues.  

Now committee chairperson Joey Salceda has filed House Bill No. 7919 aiming to collect a 5 per cent tax on gross revenues from legal electronic sabong and other legally operated electronic betting activities. 

The measure would exclude PAGCOR activities as well as those run by the Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). It would also allow the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to inspect and accredit gambling devices used to record the wages.

Salceda said while presenting the bill: “The operations are already legal, by virtue of local ordinances, but the electronic aspect of it is a legal grey area. Because of the ambiguity, we are unable to levy national taxes on these activities or look into their operations.”