PAGCOR could privatise the lottery

Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office –PCSO– is a state-owned organisation.

Philippines.- Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia made public yesterday PAGCOR’s intentions to privatise the state lottery entity, Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Offices (PCSO). This new step forward is one of the biggest changes the gaming authority is imposing for the industry in the Asian country.

“It had something to do with, small time gambling—lotto and what to do with it. [The plan was to] privatise and then regulate. It needs to be regulated. It will be liberalized. Those who want to set up, they can also set up,” Pernia said.

PCSO was under the spotlight in the government’s agenda for seemingly irregularities in its management. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte expressed earlier this year that PCSO is among the most corrupt government agencies. The state-run organisation is in charge of “intelligence funds”, which could be misused, according to Senator Franklin Drilon, pioneer supporter of privatisation of PCSO and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.