Obvious Game Fixing on Philippines MPBL Basketball League

[YOSHIE]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams few days back will surely trend due to unsual events on it.

When a case of cheating occurs in the world of sports, such as basketball, plus the cheating is clearly visible and prominent, of course cases like this cannot be ignored, firm action must be taken by the League.

When I read the news about this case, in my opinion strict sanctions must be applied to the team that wins, clearly many witnesses said and saw that the team concerned did not score in the fourth quarter, why do they have to win, isn't this bullying in the world of basketball?
For me, so that (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) remains branded by basketball fans, especially in the Philippines, They must take firm action against all those involved in the case, such as action against all players, coaches, in essence all those involved, so that they are deterred that sport is truly produced by professional training and play, not by cheating.

[Rruchi man]

impressive, this could be like a pure nightmare for all gamblers.

It will not be a nightmare to all gamblers; there must be gamblers who have insider information and are usually benefiting from leagues where they have game fixing. If that game was truly fixed, then there must be persons who had insider information and also gambled on it and have been able to make some money from it. I want to ask a question: will you heavily criticize those persons who had insider information and took advantage of it to make money?

If you had confirmed insider information on a fixed game in your favorite league, would you bet on it?

[GiftedMAN]

I'm not defending the accused but banning them on mere suspicion seem to extreme to me. The right thing will be to set up pannel to investigate the games and until they reach a conclusion, they are not supposed to pronounce punishment so soon. What if the investigation proves them not while they are already servicing the punishment?

Banning them without confirming them guilty of the offense is bad the commissioner should be more experienced than this and he should have done a private investigation on both teams that participated in the game and if by the end of the day the results shows that they fixed the game then the whole then ought to be banned instead of banning some of the players and Leaving some.

Nobody will be supporting the teams that took part in the supposed match fixing but there should be a panel set to investigate them they should not be punished for a crime they are not sure they committed.

[bhadz]

I posted this on the PBA thread and thanks you're able to bring up this thread.

Case like this become a virus in Sports industry not only giving a bad image on Philippines Sports but on the game itself. Allegedly some players or coach on the said team based on social media outbreak had some gambling bet with the stats thats why their trying to not score. Judging by the game outcome its seems its true.

Very true, it's sad to see that this has happened again. I think a fixed game also happened in another league in the Fil Oil basketball, if I recall correctly. I hope that the basketball community including PBA and other leagues will put a ban for a lifetime for the players who were involved in the match fixing.

If you had confirmed insider information on a fixed game in your favorite league, would you bet on it?

No. Only VIP people will get the insider firsthand because it involves huge amount of money to get into their circle.

[Ishicryptic]

I'm not defending the accused but banning them on mere suspicion seem to extreme to me. The right thing will be to set up pannel to investigate the games and until they reach a conclusion, they are not supposed to pronounce punishment so soon. What if the investigation proves them not while they are already servicing the punishment?

Although match fixing is common in those small leagues and happen at an alarming rate, maybe this harsh decision was taken to discourage others from thinking towards that direction.

Match fixing is a very serious issue in sports and we cannot deny the negative image that it is having on the reputation of various sports, this manipulations are mostly done because of bets, some people would go to extreme measures just to cheat and win big in their bets so anything to discourage match fixing is very welcomed for many of us. But in the process of catching culprits the authorities must make sure that they are not mistaking fair games to mean match fixings, they shouldn't be in a hurry to punish suspected fixers, thorough investigation and fair hearings should be done first before handing down judgements. League organisers and fans should understand that coincidents can happen in a game that might look like match fixing but it's not although if it's very obvious then it is likely to be true.

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams Seriously the game was so obviously a game fixing scheme. Imagine no points incurred in the last quarter for more than 7 minutes of time? They are professional players and their play on the last minutes if not busted more like a broken play.

Most likely to be much fixed and this is not ideal for players to be found involved in such act of manipulation because it derailed them of trust,  but still yet I think further investigations needed to be conducted in order to know if some of the players are involved in placing beds in such manner or not, sometimes we might be wrong about our assumption over a particular scenario, but this being an uncommon experience shows that there is possible means that it was being match fixed, but as I've said earlier, there is a need for more thorough investigation to be made.

[suzanne5223]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams few days back will surely trend due to unsual events on it.

As betting in the Philippines MPBL basketball league is concern dont do it, and that's if you want to save yourself from the trouble of recurring of match fixing.
If i could remember correctly, in the year 2024, 47 players and officials were banned for alleged involvement in game-fixing schemes in the MPBL basketball league.
This is the reason why some bookmakers don't support the provision of betting services for local leagues.

[Fortify]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams few days back will surely trend due to unsual events on it.

Seriously the game was so obviously a game fixing scheme. Imagine no points incurred in the last quarter for more than 7 minutes of time? They are professional players and their play on the last minutes if not busted more like a broken play.

When the game ended I am surely this will be criticized by a lot and just as expected the commisioner of the said league ban some players and even coach.

I dunno but since this league is own by Manny Pacquiao Im surely he will not let this slide as he commented on the issue too.Some prominent basketball icon like a reputable coach commented on the game fixing and some post from famous player like Kean Baclaan - "No to game fixing" Really hype on the socials in the PH and mass community continue criticizing the team for what they done.

Case like this become a virus in Sports industry not only giving a bad image on Philippines Sports but on the game itself. Allegedly some players or coach on the said team based on social media outbreak had some gambling bet with the stats thats why their trying to not score. Judging by the game outcome its seems its true.

Sometimes match fixing is just so outrageously obvious you wonder why the players aren't banned for life at the end of it. Remember seeing one game where both sides were quite blatantly trying to lose in a game of basketball, to the extent that they would "lose" the ball in comically bad fashion constantly. You're in dangerous territory if you are betting outside the biggest leagues because, especially in poorer countries like this there is a lot of money that can be made for players who cheat and coordinate with a fixer. There does need to be strong punishment for this and it's good in your example that they basically got shut down for a season, but you'd hope that every player was also fired long term too.

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams few days back will surely trend due to unsual events on it.

As betting in the Philippines MPBL basketball league is concern dont do it, and that's if you want to save yourself from the trouble of recurring of match fixing.
If i could remember correctly, in the year 2024, 47 players and officials were banned for alleged involvement in game-fixing schemes in the MPBL basketball league.
This is the reason why some bookmakers don't support the provision of betting services for local leagues.

Now I'm beginning to see more to the reason why some leaks are exempted from being considered by the bookmakers because of issues like this, sport is not what should be taken for granted and the players as well as the management teams should also consider this as a serious business without permitting for any form of loss on their integrity, it does not make sense seeing that people are gambling on what has already been match fixed, it is a complete highest order of cheating and such should be discouraged.

[Renampun]

I think that manipulation will still happen in sports, even in bigger leagues like the NBL that there are still players who try to get involved in match fixing, let alone in smaller leagues like the MPBL. It's just that what I can't understand is how so many players are involved in this match fixing.. don't they think that what they are doing can damage the reputation of the career they have built so far.. and I think that it should not be comparable to what they get from this match fixing. now they got such a severe penalty, and surely they will regret it.

[danherbias07]

They are professionals but not as good as the heavily trained ones. 7 minutes with no points is possible. I have seen in the NBA 5 minutes with like 5 points only, especially if it's in the first quarter, where almost everyone still has a cold hand.

Now, if they already banned whoever did it, it just means they already found proof that the team is trying to rig the game. This is not good for the league, especially now that they are trying to gain an audience that actually works. One time I actually watched a full game of the MPBL because I was intrigued. Sad to say, but these things could really happen if there is money involved.

[iv4n]

https://www.tiktok.com/@hoopjunkieph/video/7667794648911334664

So are they just tired & gave up completely, or are they trying to manipulate the score? The last minute of the game looks ridiculous, and it's easy to understand why people think it's fixed...

Case like this become a virus in Sports industry not only giving a bad image on Philippines Sports but on the game itself. Allegedly some players or coach on the said team based on social media outbreak had some gambling bet with the stats thats why their trying to not score. Judging by the game outcome its seems its true.

If they really did it, I guess it will be easy to find evidence... It's hard to hide it, especially if all of them are part of the scam. We will probably hear more about this one...

[Pandu Geddon]

Case like this become a virus in Sports industry not only giving a bad image on Philippines Sports but on the game itself. Allegedly some players or coach on the said team based on social media outbreak had some gambling bet with the stats thats why their trying to not score. Judging by the game outcome its seems its true.

Players and coaches really shouldn’t get involved in sports betting that involves their own matches. It makes sense that they’d face punishment for what they do. Cases like that seem to happen in soccer too. Maybe sports where fixing is harder to spot are boxing or UFC. Either way, every sport has a governing body watching over it. So if there are signs of fixing, it will definitely be found.

[yahoo62278]

Since I watched the local basketball matches in MBPL league in the Philippines a particular game between Bulacan and Bacolod teams few days back will surely trend due to unsual events on it.

Seriously the game was so obviously a game fixing scheme. Imagine no points incurred in the last quarter for more than 7 minutes of time? They are professional players and their play on the last minutes if not busted more like a broken play.

When the game ended I am surely this will be criticized by a lot and just as expected the commisioner of the said league ban some players and even coach.

"All individuals served with Red Cards are permanently banned from the league. The League is also announcing that the franchise's participation for the remainder of the season has been cancelled,” the MPBL said.

I dunno but since this league is own by Manny Pacquiao Im surely he will not let this slide as he commented on the issue too.Some prominent basketball icon like a reputable coach commented on the game fixing and some post from famous player like Kean Baclaan - "No to game fixing" Really hype on the socials in the PH and mass community continue criticizing the team for what they done.

Case like this become a virus in Sports industry not only giving a bad image on Philippines Sports but on the game itself. Allegedly some players or coach on the said team based on social media outbreak had some gambling bet with the stats thats why their trying to not score. Judging by the game outcome its seems its true.

News Article Source:
https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/07/31/regions/mpbl-bans-bacolod-players-coaches-amid-game-fixing-allegations/2395564
https://www.philstar.com/sports/2026/07/31/2546101/pacquiao-lashes-out-bacolod-masskara-after-suspected-mpbl-game-fixing

Assuming that players and or coaches are found guilty, I hope some stiff penalties are handed out. Hefty fine, jail time, and a lifetime ban from any professional sports might send the right message to anyone else considering engaging in match fixing. The league or whomever regulates it needs to pay attention to bank accounts and see if any unusual activity is happening.

[Su-asa]

Most times, I bet on basketball games/league but as for the team not getting any points in the last 7 minutes, it happens sometimes, but not much. To me, that didn't prove that the game was fixed, because even in soccer games, sometimes the game gets boring to a point where you might think that it was fixed. Most games are fixed, but it's hard to know the set of games that are fixed, although some are obviously fixed, but we can't do anything because we have no proof. If the sport authorities are not caught, we have no proof unless the referee or other people involved are caught before we can have proof that the game is fixed.

[promise444c5]

I'm not defending the accused but banning them on mere suspicion seem to extreme to me. The right thing will be to set up pannel to investigate the games and until they reach a conclusion, they are not supposed to pronounce punishment so soon. What if the investigation proves them not while they are already servicing the punishment?

Although, I haven’t gone through the link provided by OP but  I’m sure they  probably would have done some Investigation before going to the extent of placing ban on the players . If not , that’s doesn’t make any sense.

They don’t need to raise a panel, they slready have a body incharge of investigating such practices.. The most important thing here is that punishment should be served to any arty that deserves it so it can discourage other/existing  parties planning to do such..

[Moreno233]

impressive, this could be like a pure nightmare for all gamblers.

for what I have seen in most of the cases (at least here in Italy) they just don't pay out any winning with a classic FIAT bookmaker...they can also seize funds if they suspect a scam from your side...

it would be interesting to see if this event/outcome was available to gamble by some crypto bookmakers. losing bets would ever be reimbursed?
winnings have being paid out too?

Money won from such game would have already been credited to the bettors and withdrawals honored. There is no way the gambling companies will go ahead and debit the accounts of people that play the games, so the loss is on the casino. I think it's just one of the risk associated to gambling on the side of the bookies so they have to deal with it.

Match fixing is a very big challenge in sports and it is happening  in large scale even in the top leagues. This the main reason the VAR technology was introduce but I don't think it completely solved the problem.

[Floxynice]

I will never support cheating, intimidation, or anything at all that obstructs the normal game process and prevents the game from being a fair one. Let's all say NO to game fixing. However, the way this was handled seems rushed. At least, with all of the suspicions, the final judgment should still go through the normal process of investigating the match to provide concrete evidence on the issue at hand. It would be unfair if, at the end of the day, there is no sufficient evidence to prove that the offence happened during the game. Game fixing is wrong, but carrying out such a judgment based on emotions and not through proper investigation is also wrong.

[AVE5]

Seriously the game was so obviously a game fixing scheme. Imagine no points incurred in the last quarter for more than 7 minutes of time? They are professional players and their play on the last minutes if not busted more like a broken play.

What if the game was truly fixed, you that's not an insider believing the game was fixed, what do you think will be the benefits of those behind it?
Countless time I've heard talks from similar discussions that it was manipulated in the way game outcomes will be against bettors, that's when the game officials are in collusion with the book makers.
But come to think of it, why don't you believe 7 mins is impossible to go without a point? I believe there were also viewer's that watched the game live and they saw the ball wasn't just rolling at a spot but the team's were playing on their best.
To avoid this kinds of experience, I'll advice you bet on the international leagues like the NBA. That's is  a bit beyond this manipulated suspicions.

[rbynxx]

They are professionals but not as good as the heavily trained ones. 7 minutes with no points is possible. I have seen in the NBA 5 minutes with like 5 points only, especially if it's in the first quarter, where almost everyone still has a cold hand.

Now, if they already banned whoever did it, it just means they already found proof that the team is trying to rig the game. This is not good for the league, especially now that they are trying to gain an audience that actually works. One time I actually watched a full game of the MPBL because I was intrigued. Sad to say, but these things could really happen if there is money involved.

It's possible but the defense aren't that tight considering their opponent was already have the lead and if you'll saw the clip or just the whole game you'll also wonder. Yeah they are already banned and maybe fines will be imposed too. I think this should serve as a warning that leagues who try to be honest and be competitive shouldn't have any room for a game fixing because it will just lost credibility to the whole basketball community.

I think it just really belong to some players and staff and not the whole team.