Gambling lords defy PCSO, launch own STL

MANILA, Philippines - Illegal gambling operators have launched their own version of the small town lottery (STL), taunting the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in their campaign against the illegal numbers game jueteng.

PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas said illegal bookies or STL “copycats” have sprouted in Laguna, Batangas, Quezon and other provinces in Luzon.

“Per report from our field offices, they are illegal bookies,” Rojas said, referring to reports that legitimate STL operators had stopped issuing tickets but continue to collect STL bets.

Rojas said they are now coordinating with the PNP to stop the jueteng lords fronting as STL operators.

The STL copycats, according to sources, cropped up after the PCSO took over the daily STL draws, which prevented jueteng operators from controlling the result of the draws in their localities.

The PCSO is set to issue new guidelines on STL operations next week.

According to sources, STL bookies are run by legitimate gaming firms who use their network to collect bets, but no receipts or tickets are given to the bettors.

The new illegal numbers game is raking in millions in bets by using the STL draws. In some remote areas, illegal gambling operators announce their own results since bettors have no way of verifying the official results of the PCSO.

In Calamba, Lucena City and other parts of Luzon where the daily STL draws are conducted by PCSO, “STL collectors” make daily rounds to collect bets from players but do not issue tickets.

In Batangas City, some bettors complained they were not paid their winnings since they were not issued tickets.

They said STL collectors just write down the number combinations on a sheet of paper that bears the logo of the PCSO, apparently to prevent the collectors from being arrested since there would be no evidence that they issued illegitimate tickets.

Similar activities are being carried out in other parts of Luzon where jueteng collectors even advertise themselves as “STL collectors.”

The new illegal numbers game, according to sources, is aimed at protecting the gaming firm from being called a jueteng front.

Some jueteng operators were able to get legitimate STL franchises in a bid to cover up their illicit gambling operations.

The STL copycat is a two-pronged strategy aiming to protect the jueteng operations from police crackdown and at the same time to divert the attention of PCSO from the gaming firms to the illegal numbers game.

The strategy is aimed to confuse both the police and the PCSO.

“If in the past STL collectors also accept jueteng bets, they now claim that they are STL collectors,” an official said.

Liza Gabuyo, PCSO assistant general manager for online operations, said they have already instructed their field offices to check on the operations of the STL copycats who are diverting STL bettors to the illegal numbers game.

The PCSO sought the help of the PNP to address the problem.

However, PNP officials during a recent congressional hearing admitted that they are helpless in running against illegal bookies since they are also legitimate STL operators authorized by the PCSO.