Lottery operations in the Philippines face scrutiny after a recent assassination
In the Philippines, Small-Time Lotteries (STLs) continue to operate regularly as of August 2025, despite concerns about their connection to criminal gangs and corrupt local officials.
STLs, which are legal lotteries authorised by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), have been historically linked to local criminal activities. Reports and investigations over the years suggest that certain criminal gangs and corrupt local officials are involved in STL operations, exploiting revenues for illegal activities such as extortion, racket operations, and money laundering.
This relationship creates a nexus where illegal elements infiltrate or control STL distributions, often with the complicity or tacit approval of local government officials to gain political or financial benefit. However, up-to-date, specific status details or official statements linking STLs to criminal or political collusion were not found in the search results.
Recent events have highlighted the dangers associated with STLs. On March 4, 2025, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was assassinated following a power struggle with Pryde Henry Teves. The murder of an STL vendor, Rizia Mae Pardillo Ycot, a month ago in Cotabato City, has also raised concerns. More than two dozen STL vendors have reported receiving threatening messages since Ycot's murder, prompting Cotabato City police director Colonel Querubin Manalang to recommend action.
In response to these incidents, the mayor of Cotabato City, Bruce Matabalao, ordered a ban on STLs on Monday, June 23, 2025. The Philippines has since banned local lotteries, citing the increasing threats to STL vendors as a primary concern.
Notably, Arnolfo Teves, Pryde's older brother and a Philippine congressman, is currently under investigation following the murder of three people in 2019. As of Monday morning, the older Teves hasn't given a statement and is currently in the US undergoing medical treatment.
Cito Beltran, in an opinion piece for The Philippine Star, suggests that criminal gangs supporting the illegal gambling industry are receiving support across all government ranks. The ongoing investigation into the involvement of STLs in criminal activities and political collusion is expected to shed more light on this complex issue.
- The Small-Time Lotteries (STLs) in the Philippines, currently operational as of August 2025, have a historical connection to local criminal activities, with involvement from certain criminal gangs and corrupt local officials.
- The Asia Pacific Gaming industry, including casino-and-gambling sectors, has been under scrutiny due to possible links between STLs and crime-and-justice issues in the Philippines.
- The politicization of STLs in the Philippines has been hinted at, as opinions such as Cito Beltran's suggest that support for illegal gambling industries might extend across all government ranks.
- General-news outlets, like The Philippine Star, are providing updates on ongoing investigations into the suspected criminal activities and political collusion related to STLs in the Philippines.
