Online lottery bidding, authorised in the Philippines

The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to proceed with the bidding process in Luzon.

Philippines.- The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has been cleared to conduct a public bidding process for its online lottery system in Luzon after the Supreme Court ruled in its favour. The High Court’s Third Division overturned a ruling from a Makati court that stopped the corporation to hold the process.

According to the Supreme Court, the Philippine Gaming and Management Corporation (PGMC), which is was lessor of equipment for the PCSO’s online lottery operations in Luzon from 1995 to August 2018 is no longer available to demand “exclusive rights” to be protected beyond the expiration of its contract with the PCSO.

“[PGMC] failed to provide proof that the Amendments to Equipment Lease Agreement was extended beyond August 21, 2018. It cannot claim that it has alleged exclusive rights to be protected and that it will suffer irreparable injury if petitioner continued with the Nationwide Online Lottery System bidding process,” the High Court stated and added: “This is precisely because the bidding was for the next supplier of the Nationwide Online Lottery System for a period of five years after August 21, 2018 or commencing on August 22, 2018.”