Using animals for gambling or other activities does have its pros and cons, but it's a business venture that humans have used for survival since ancient times. Perhaps he considers cockfighting to be hurt to animals, leading him to make decission to not join for cockfight. On the other, farmers also often use animals for traditional farming tools, and that can be hurt for them. So, whether someone agree or not, using animals has become part of the business, that's all. If someone disagrees, that's based on their own perspective.
IMO, selective targeting is not good. We can't impose our own version of morality on a completely different set of people, who who have traditions dating back thousands of years. Cockfighting is part of tradition and indigenous culture in certain parts of Asia. It is up to those ethnic groups to decide whether to continue with the tradition or not. Obviously it hurts animals, but a few dozen birds being used for fight is a lower priority for me when compared to billions of birds being commercially farmed to end up as food for humans.