PNVF president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara categorically denied being directly involved with an illegal online gambling platform for the country’s hosting of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
This comes after Senate Games and Amusement Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo flagged the tournament for its supposed sponsorship deal with 1XBET, whose operations have been deemed illegal in the Philippines.
“Sila [1XBET] po ang isa sa mga major sponsors ng World Volleyball [Championship] na napapanood sa buong mundo sa MOA at Araneta Coliseum. Tignan mo ang kabastusan na ‘yan," Tulfo said in a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
“May we request the Philippine National Police and the NBI to check on this kasi nakikita ko po sa screen kanina na nakalagay po sa floor, 1XBET," he added.
“Pwede po sigurong tanungin po natin yung organizers po nito kasi pwede po silang makasuhan na ika-nga, parang kasabwat po sila dito sa illegal gambling.”
Suzara responds
Contrary to Tulfo’s claim, there is no 1XBET logo on the taraflex in both of the tournament’s official match venues.
As Suzara underscored, the 1XBET logo also does not appear on the tournament’s promotional materials as either a major or minor sponsor.
In a video screenshot Suzara showed reporters, only global subscribers of Volleyball World will see the 1XBET logo occasionally appear on their screens while watching the games of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
“Sa information naman du’n sa ibinigay [kay Sen. Tulfo], if you will see, it's 1XBET kung isa subscriber ng Volleyball World," he shared.
"I don't know kung sino nag-subscribe, nakuha niya siguro ito," he added.
“If you see, o tignan niyo sa court kung may 1XBET yan? I think you better take a photo kung may 1XBET yan, ‘di ba? Wala talaga, 1XBET is illegal here.”
When directly asked by SPIN.ph if 1XBET had any direct dealings with the PNVF for this tournament, Suzara set the record straight and even bared convening with PAGCOR to explain 1XBET’s visibility in the tournament.
“Wala,” he said. “Since the beginning, 1XBET is a global sponsor of FIVB. We met with PAGCOR and sabi nga nila, illegal dito [ang 1XBET].”
Suzara explained the gray area that led to Senator Tulfo’s assumption of a direct partnership between the PNVF and 1XBET.
The said online gambling entity is affiliated with Volleyball World, the official global broadcasting platform of FIVB events, and not with the Philippines’ local organizing committee.
“In the case of 1XBET, 1XBET is illegal in the Philippines. It's not shown on domestic television. You will know it from One Sports or sa Cignal TV, walang 1XBET.
“You can only see 1XBET in the global feed or if you are a subscriber of Volleyball World. So, you will see that even sa local television.
“This is a clear, we have to correct na baka mali ang information na kuha ni Sen. Tulfo. This would have been a good research bago i-inform si Sen.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
