PCSO: 5 small lottery operating firms under evaluation

“We are looking into these five AACs that are possibly violating provisions contained in the STL Implementing Rules and Regulations,” PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said in a statement released Thursday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The board of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is evaluating five more Authorized Agent Corp. (AACs) either for suspension, cancellation, termination, or revocation of their authority to play Small Town Lottery (STL).

“We are looking into these five AACs that are possibly violating provisions contained in the STL Implementing Rules and Regulations,” PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said in a statement released Thursday.

The PCSO official said that since Camarines Sur is now open to bidders, the agency would make sure it won’t be open for long so as not to sacrifice the revenue of the province and create a vacuum for opportunists and illegal operations to take advantage of and get back in the game.

“I am not intimidated by the vilification campaign in the media against our STL. All we have to do is accept the fact that we have not yet perfected the system for our STL. What is important is to accomplish our mission set by the President to eradicate jueteng and all forms of illegal numbers game through STL. We are so much focused on this goal and we will do it,” he said.

Last Feb. 5, the PCSO board permanently terminated and cancelled the authorization of Evenchance Gaming Corp. to operate STL in Camarines Sur pursuant to Board Resolution No. 0024 series of 2018.

Its violations include accepting bets from minors, non-wearing of STL uniform and identification cards, and using tickets not prescribed by the PCSO. It also failed to reach the presumptive monthly retail receipt that it has committed in its application.

Even the franchise of Golden Go Rapid Gaming Corp. (GGRGC) in Pangasinan province had already been terminated by PCSO in October last year.

GGRGC’s permit has been revoked for failure to remit more than PHP655 million in supposed monthly retail remittance to the charity office since April 2017.

“We also forfeited the cash bond posted by GGRGC amounting to PHP225 million to cover the payment of their sales shortfall, which was computed after the submission of their sales report,” said Balutan.

As replacement, PCSO has granted Speed Game Inc. the authority to operate STL in Pangasinan. (PNA)