Philippines resumes lottery operations

The Philippine national lottery has resumed operations after a suspension that came due to new corruption reports.

The Philippines.- The situation of the gambling industry in the Philippines has suffered dramatic changes in the last few days. President Rodrigo Duterte recently announced that all Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) games would stop due to “massive corruption”. However, the lottery resumed activity on Wednesday.

Duterte partially lifted the order to close all gaming activities run by the agency after news reports of corruption emerged. The PCSO operates the national lottery, small-town lotteries and local gaming schemes.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that only national lottery operations received the okay to resume: “The rest of (the) gaming operations with franchises, licences or permits granted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PSCO)… shall remain suspended pending the investigation of illegal activities and corrupt practices related thereto,” he said.

PSCO general manager Royina Garma said that operations stopped between last Saturday and Tuesday when the ban was in effect. “The PSCO continues its endeavour to fight and eradicate illegal gambling and corruption as the agency thrives in serving the public, especially those who are in dire need of help,” she said in a statement.