New government gambling policy in the offing

Prompted by the political firestorm triggered by the jueteng scandal, Malacañang will come up next month with a new state policy on gambling.

A government panel headed by Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero is now reviewing state-run gambling operations, including those of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom).

Aside from running casinos, Pagcor operated jai alai and Bingo-2 Ball, which were both stopped by President Estrada shortly after the jueteng scandal erupted early last month.

The PCSO currently runs the on-line lottery and on-line bingo, while Philracom supervises horse racing.

A new policy on gambling is one of the reforms Mr. Estrada promised as calls for his resignation spread like wildfire as a result of the scandal, now threatening to topple his presidency.

Malacañang said the move "demonstrates the President’s resolve to effect genuine reforms."

Shortly after promising reforms in a nationwide address last Oct. 30, Mr. Estrada ordered Interior Secretary Alfredo Lim to close down Pagcor’s jai-alai fronton in Manila, but the closure is being contested in court.

Mr. Estrada also shut down Pagcor’s Internet gambling operations. But last Wednesday, a Manila court ruled that gambling through the Internet is legal, thereby allowing an online casino franchise holder to resume operations.

In line with his reforms on gambling, Mr. Estrada said he would privatize Pagcor. But his proposal did not appease skeptics, who feared that Pagcor might only end up in the hands of a presidential crony.

Tuquero’s panel first met last Tuesday and will meet again tomorrow. It will also come up with legislative proposals to implement the new policy.

Tuquero has informed the President that his panel will submit its initial report in the first week of December and its final report on Dec. 31.