Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1715

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA.
2™ District, [locos Norte

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Sports has been the outlet of man’s insatiable thirst for competition. It
includes all forms of competitive physical activity or games that provide
enjoyment to the participants as well as entertainment to spectators. In
ancient times, the Greeks established a wide range of sports that heavily
influenced their society. Sports became such a prominent part of their culture
that they created the Olympic Games which were held every four years in the
small Greek village called Olympia. The Olympic Games continue to exist until
today and is considered as the highest level of all sports competition. It
features all the top athletes from more than 200 nations.

For some people, sports are a leisure or an avenue for them to develop as
a person. It also creates an outlet for the youth and diverts their attention to
avoid bad vices and unhealthy habits. On the other hand, some people
consider sports as their ticket out of poverty—their source of income and
livelihood that provides them a way to feed their families and give them a
chance to lead better lives. It is, therefore, unfortunate that there are evil
entities who would want to negatively influence the result of sports for their
own selfish interests.

The Philippines, unfortunately, has been hampered and hounded by
game-fixing issues.

Game-fixing deprives the athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators the
chance to truly enjoy a game that they love. It also destroys the beauty of the
game and robs everybody of the satisfaction of watching great plays, displays
of sportsmanship, and spectacular highlights.

It is incumbent upon Congress to ensure that the sanctity of fair play,
competition, and sportsmanship are protected in order to deliver to each and


every one invested the purest sensation and experience that sports can
provide. Accordingly, this bill is proposed in order to redefine the crime of
game-fixing and providing stiffer penalties. It seeks to ensure and promote
fair conduct in Philippine Sports.

The bill provides penalties of imprisonment from three (3) years to six
(6) years or a fine of not less than One Million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not
more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of the
court for any offender. It also provides penalties of imprisonment from six (6)
years to twelve (12) years or a fine of not less than One million pesos
(P1,000,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) or
both at the discretion of the court, when the offender is an athlete, promoter,
referee, umpire, judge, coach in the game, race or sports competition, or any
other sports official. Finally, it provides the penalty of life imprisonment or a
fine not less than Ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00) but not more than Fifty
million pesos (P50,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of the court, when
the offender is a member of a syndicate as defined in Section 4 of this Act.

The passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

ANG! ‘COS BARBA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1715

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA
2" District, locos Norte

AN ACT
REDEFINING THE CRIME OF GAME FIXING AND PROVIDING
PENALTIES THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Game
Fixing Law.”

SECTION 2. Game Fixing. - Game Fixing refers to any act or series of
acts committed by any person or persons who maliciously conducts or cause
to be conducted any professional or amateur sports other than on the basis of
honest playing skill or ability of the players or participants.

It shall include any arrangement, agreement, scheme or machinations
wherein the skill or ability of any player or participant in a game, sport, race or
sports competition shall be limited deliberately in order to influence the
process or to produce a predetermined result.

The payment or receipt of money or valuable consideration shall
constitute a prima facie evidence of game-fixing.

SECTION 3. Other Forms of Game Fixing. — Game-fixing as defined in
Section 2 hereof, shall likewise include the following acts:

a) Point-shaving refers to any such arrangement, combination, scheme or
agreement by which the skill or ability of any player or participant in a
game, race or sports competition to make points or scores shall be
limited deliberately in order to influence the result thereof in favor of
one or the other team, player or participant

b) Game machination refer to any other fraudulent, deceitful, unfair or
dishonest means, method, manner or practice employed for the
purpose of influencing the result of any game, race or sports contest.

Game-Fixing in any of the forms defined in Sections 2 and 3 of this Act
is hereby declared unlawful.


SECTION 4. Game-Fixing by Syndicate. — Game-fixing is deemed
committed by a syndicate if carried out by a group of three (3) or more
persons conspiring or confederating with one another to perform acts
specified in Sections 2 and 3 of this Act.

SECTION 5. Proposal, Attempt, and Conspiracy to Commit
Game-Fixing. — A proposal, attempt, or conspiracy to commit game-fixing
shall be punishable with the same penalty prescribed under this Act.

SECTION 6. Covered Sports. — As used in this Act, game-fixing may
only be committed in the following sports:

a) Professional sports shall refer to individual or team sports, games,
contest, bouts, tournament or competitions whereby the participating
athlete is paid sums of money or other forms of compensation as
regular salary or prize for participation, which are licensed, accredited
and recognized by the Games and Amusements Board;

b) Amateur sports shall refer to individual or team sports, games,
contests, bouts, tournaments or competitions, including collegiate
leagues conducted by the public or private schools athletic associations,
whereby the participant is engaged largely or entirely without
remuneration: Provided, however, the local government unit
(LGU)-sponsored, sanctioned or organized sports events or
competitions shall not be covered in this Act.

SECTION 7. Penalties. — The following penalties are hereby imposed
on the acts of Game-fixing as herein described:

a) The penalty of imprisonment from three (3) years to six (6) years or a
fine of not less than One Million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more
than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of
the court shall be imposed upon any person found guilty of any offense
defined herein;

b) The penalty of imprisonment from six (6) years to twelve (12) years or a
fine of not less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more
than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of
the court, when the offender is an athlete, promoter, referee, umpire,
judge, coach in the game, race or sports competition, or any other
sports official;

©) The penalty of life imprisonment or a fine not less than Ten million
pesos (P10,000,000.00) but not more than Fifty million pesos
(P50,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of the court, when the
offender is a member of a syndicate as defined in Section 4 of this Act.

‘The maximum penalty provided shall be imposed upon any person who
pays or receives money or any other valuable consideration in furtherance of
the crime of game-fixing.


Provided, That if the offender is a public officer, whether elected or
appointed, an additional penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding
any public office or employment shall be imposed: Provided further, that if the
violation is committed by a partnership, corporation, association or any
juridical entity, the partner, president, director, manager, trustee, estate
administrator, or officer, who consents to or knowingly tolerates such
violation, shall be held criminally liable as a principal.

Provided finally, That if the offender is an alien, the same penalties
shall be applied and the offender shall be deported only after service of
sentence.

SECTION 8. Perpetual Disqualification from Participation in
Amateur and Professional Sports. — The following persons shall be
perpetually disqualified to participate in any capacity in any sports in the
country:

a) Those engaged in professional sports if found guilty of game-fixing; and

b) Those engaged in amateur sports if found guilty of game- fixing for the
second time

The Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board,
Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and other
concerned agencies shall be served copies of the decision and order
disqualifying a person from participation in any capacity in any sports in the
country.

SECTION 9. Roles of Government Agencies. — The following agencies
and instrumentalities shall be tasked to do the following in implementing
Section 8 of this

a) Game and Amusements Board shall revoke the license of professional
athletes and other sports officials;

b) Philippine Sports Commission shall remove athletes from the national
team, including coaches and other sports officials, and ban athletes
from participating in any amateur sports competitions locally and
abroad;

c) Department of Education shall ban primary and _ secondary
student-athletes including coaches and officiating staff, from
participating in Palarong Pambansa and other DepEd-sponsored,
sanctioned or organized sports events or competitions;

d

Philippine Olympic Committee / National Sports Associations shall
remove athletes, coaches and Other sports officials from their
respective rosters;


e) Athletic associations shall disqualify athletes, coaches and other sports
officials from participating in any inter-school athletic programs and
competitions; and

) Schools shall disqualify athletes, coaches and other sports officials from
representing the school to any sports events.

The concerned agencies shall coordinate and monitor the strict
implementation of accessory penalty provided under Section 8.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this
Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — The provisions on game-fixing,
point-shaving and game machinations in sports contests under Sections I to 4
of Presidential Decree No. 483, as amended, pertinent provisions of Section 1
of Presidential Decree No. 1602, and all other laws, executive orders,
issuances, decrees, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the
provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved.