PCSO expands STL operations

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is expanding the operations of small town lottery (STL) to stop illegal gambling and generate more revenue to support its charity programs.

At least 56 more gaming corporations will be granted permits to operate STL across the country, Jose Jorge Corpuz, PCSO chairman, told The STAR yesterday.

“The soft launch of the expanded STL operations will be held next month,” Corpuz said.

He said the licenses of 18 STL operators would expire this month and they would come up with a list of new authorized operators.

STL is currently operating in Bataan, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Laguna, Mindoro, Quezon, Sorsogon, Negros Occidental, Iloilo and Bohol as well as in the cities of Olongapo in Zambales and Angeles and San Fernando in Pampanga

“The STL monitoring group had finished its recommendations. We will announce the final list after we submit our report to the President,” Corpuz said.

He said the expanded STL games would be patterned after jueteng in Luzon, masiao in the Visayas and Last 2 in Mindanao in a bid to stop the illegal numbers games.

President Duterte earlier said he would also launch an all-out campaign against illegal gambling.

“With the commitment of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government officials to support PCSO in the implementation of the new  implementing rules and regulations (IRR), STL will be the only legal numbers game in the country,”  Corpuz said.

The PCSO and PNP recently signed a memorandum of agreement to implement the revised IRR for STL operations.