Cock fights wagering
Betting on a cock

An illegal gambling mafia in the Philippines gives local authorities an ultimatum: take money from us and allow gambling, or face our foot soldiers.

As the gambling news in the Philippines report, a number of local officials, including city mayors, have been threatened by a local gambling mafia to accept bribes in exchange for allowing their illicit betting operations to continue.

Those who refused, now fear for their lives from the threats the gangsters returned in exchange for a cooperation denial. The mafia went as far as to offer huge campaign donations to those willing to accept the deal.

Much of the illegal gambling involves card game tricks, such as marked poker and blackjack cards, where the players, or more properly called, the victims, lose money on a fixed game. Other activities relate to illegal lottery bets.

Now, local officials are asking the state-run lottery to have its collection agents wear ID cards all the time to prevent illegal bookies from profiting. Since many of the local authorities don’t like to be intimidated, the police started busting the illegal lotteries and confiscating other gambling paraphernalia such marked blackjack cards, betting tables, roulettes, and others.

Despite all of this, there is a growth in illegal gambling in the Philippines, especially since legal gambling is confined to a handful of casinos. Moreover, with not many opportunities to bet on such events as cock fighting, Filipinos seek to bet on these via underground dens. Often to their sorrow.