Children Worldwide at Risk from Accessing Cockfighting
Cockfighting gambling sites and apps are readily accessible by children. In most, if not all societies, children under fifteen are considered too young to be exposed to gambling. Local laws fail on the world wide web where locality and user ages can be faked, leaving children and adults harmed by gambling at risk. Children seamlessly use Virtual Private Networks and the dark web to gamble. Only GamBlock® blocks Virtual Private Network and dark web (onion) gambling.
Cockfighting is illegal in many regions around the world. Commercials are shown on television in the Philippines from gambling companies that offer cockfighting online, where anyone, including children, can watch and may become interested. However, children are accessing cockfighting in Australia where Sabong International PH is easily available. Children can also watch the cockfighting commercials on You Tube. Fortunately, the cockfighting is not shown in the advertisements.
In the Philippines, online Sabong, or eSabong, or online cockfighting, has been exploding in popularity with regulated online betting on live streamed cockfighting matches. A cell phone or a computer with an internet connection is needed. There are several apps for Android and Apple devices but one can also watch through a browser. eSabong is a 75 billion pesos (approximately USD $1.5 billion) industry in the Philippines alone.
However, seeing the advertisement and/or participating, normalises animal cruelty among children. In all jurisdictions, children can easily use the freely available UltraSurf for Windows Chrome or other ludicrously ineffective web filters on different platforms, to access cockfighting gambling.
While the legal gambling age in the Philippines is 21, there is nothing stopping children under 15 accessing these sites anywhere in the world via Virtual Private Networks, except with GamBlock® installed.
The GamBlock® Story
GamBlock® has been helping people harmed by gambling since 2000. In our experience, many people harmed by gambling begin gambling while they are underage. GamBlock® is aware of a case where a Filipino man found himself 2 million pesos (approximately USD $39,000) debt by only playing one cockfighting gambling game. He is now in prison for failing to pay his debts.
Children will tell you there are no barriers, if they simply claim they are over 18, to watching sports events with gambling and alcohol advertising as well as watching adult gamers who use excessive expletives. Continuing on those sites, they are bombarded with gambling and alcohol ads.
When parents install GamBlock®, all gambling is blocked, irrespective of age claims and Virtual Private Network bypasses. I urge all parents and schools to educate children that any betting or wagering, where the outcome is uncertain or depends upon chance or "skill", such as cell phone football tipping, constitutes gambling.
Truly independent GamBlock® is the only fully effective gambling blocking software.
When parents install GamBlock®, all gambling is blocked, irrespective of false age claims, ineffective filters and fake location bypasses.
When parents, gambling harm counsellors, financial counsellors, responsible gambling vendors, responsible banks and GamBlock® all work together, children can be saved.
David Warr
Creator of GamBlock®
GamBlock® believes responsible gambling and harm reduction suits the majority of people. GamBlock® is not anti-gambling – it supports responsible gambling and harm reduction for those it can help.