Do you go to the circus? If yes, you should also notice that they also mistreat animals. Trainers use not the most humane methods towards animals. There are even tortures that these poor creatures go through. So maybe it's time to ban the circus? Maybe only people should participate in the show? How should I look at it? Such performances evoke so many negative emotions in me that I want to never see them again. What do you think about this?
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.
Though, It is different using an animal, like a bull or an ox to work in a farm, or using a donkey to transport loads in rural zones in countries which are not industrialized. On the other hand, using animals for the sake of entertainment, to make them fight until death is a completely different thing, because in the first case, in order for the animal to function as a tool to work the land it needs to be healthy and be taken care of its health and needs. If animals like cocks and dogs are trained to fight to death, then the owners of those animals have little care for the well beings of them.
Also, working the land it is also completely different than betting on the suffering on animals who are fighting to death.
I am not against the use of animals to work the land in rural zones, but I am against cockfighting and the sacrifice of animals for the sake of fun.