Authorities in the Philippines shut down lottery outlets following President Duterte's accusations of pervasive corruption.
The Philippines, known for its vibrant gaming industry, has been in a state of uncertainty regarding the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) games since a shutdown in July 2019. However, recent search results do not provide clear details about a specific crackdown on PCSO games by President Rodrigo Duterte, their causes, impacts, or ongoing investigations as of August 2025.
The shutdown, which occurred on July 27, 2019, saw the Philippine National Police (PNP) closing hundreds of venues across the nation that featured PCSO games. The games affected included lotto, small town lottery (STL), Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan.
President Duterte, who has had a fluctuating stance on gambling, described gambling as a nasty vice that needed to be controlled and investigated by the national government back in 2016. In May of the same year, he announced a hands-off policy on many forms of gaming.
The PCSO, under the leadership of General Manager Royina M. Garma, has stated that it will comply with the suspension order "until further notice." Despite this, the agency has expressed its intention to appeal to the president for the resumption of the games, citing the interest of the PCSO, its agents, and its beneficiaries.
In 2017, the PCSO raised 53 billion pesos ($1.04 billion) from its games, marking a 34 percent increase compared to the previous year. The Philippines' gaming and casino industry has continued to thrive, with casinos winning $3.6 billion last year, with the four integrated land-based casino resorts in Manila generating the lion's share of the gross gaming revenue (GGR).
It is worth noting that Marikina City and Pasig City have already forbidden such gambling, with Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto stating that they will study the order first.
While the exact reasons behind the 2019 shutdown and any potential ongoing investigations remain unclear, an anonymous source claimed that current and former officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PNP are involved in the gaming operations of the PCSO.
As the situation continues to evolve, monitoring official government statements and major Philippine news sources may provide more insight into the future of PCSO games in the Philippines.
- The shutdown of PCSO games in the Philippines, which began on July 27, 2019, encompassed various casino-games such as lotto, small town lottery (STL), Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan.
- The ongoing uncertainty regarding the future of PCSO games is connected to the fluctuating stance of President Rodrigo Duterte on gambling, with his policy and legislation on the matter being a subject of general news and politics.
- Despite the suspension order, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has voiced its intention to appeal to President Duterte for the resumption of the games, citing the interest of the PCSO, its agents, and its beneficiaries.
- Recent developments in Pasig City and Marikina City suggest a trend in the region towards banning gambling, with these cities forbidding such activities. However, the exact reasons behind the 2019 shutdown and any current, related investigations remain unclear, with an anonymous source implying potential involvement of current and former officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) in the gambling operations of the PCSO.
