Pagcor allows lotto in online games

MANILA, Philippines — Electronic gaming operators have been allowed to offer number games such as lottery to their customers, based on a July 2 memorandum of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

“Number games shall not, in any way, utilize the same drawing device, tool and equipment being implemented currently by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in its lottery draws,” the memorandum read.

The minimum bet for number games shall not be less than P5, according to the memorandum signed by Pagcor assistant vice president Jeremy Luglug.

Operators must pay an application fee of P200,000 for a two-year gaming license and P200,000 in cash deposit per gaming venue.

Pagcor will receive 15 percent of the gross gaming revenue for live-streamed games and an initial 35 percent share rate for random number generator (RNG)-based games, from July to December 2024.

Share rates for RNG-based games will go down to 30 percent by January 2025.

“In developed and developing countries, they are moving toward the goal of internet for good, but in the Philippines, we seem to be moving in the direction of the internet for gambling,” think tank Capstone-Intel Corp. chief executive officer Nicasio Conti told The STAR.

“Pagcor should allow gaming only in integrated resort casinos and hotels catering mainly to foreign tourists, if possible only minimally to local tourists. But they should spare the internet from excessive gaming because a lot of young Filipinos, especially children, are on the internet,” Conti noted.

Conti, former commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and Presidential Commission on Good Government, earlier called for the regulation of gaming advertisements in mass media and social media.

Pagcor earlier issued licenses to more than 40 online gaming operators, on top of the 40 licenses it issued to Philippine offshore gaming operators that were rebranded as internet gaming licensees.