PCSO files charges vs 4 illegal e-lotto operators

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) yesterday filed criminal charges against four electronic lotto operators for allegedly collecting at least P4.7 billion in bets from April 2022 to June this year.

In a nine-page complaint filed before the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office, PCSO general manager Mel Robles alleged that Eplayment Corp., Paymero Technologies Limited, GlobalComRCI International and Blockchain Smart-Tech Co. IT Consultancy committed usurpation of authority and violated the anti-illegal gambling law.

The respondents were allegedly responsible for operating illegal e-lotto games such as “SureLotto” and “PakiLotto.”

Robles said charges were filed following an inquiry by the PCSO and the National Bureau of Investigation on e-lotto operators misrepresenting themselves as government-licensed operators.

“The investigation started last year. After so many months, we have built a case,” Robles told reporters.

The cooperation of electronic payment platforms led by PayMaya aided the government in nailing down these erring firms, he said.

PayMaya, Robles said, reported that it remitted P4.7 billion to one of the companies operating the illegal e-lotto.

“We noticed this last year, (that) there were so many e-lotto games using our logo, using the results of our (lotto) draws,” Robles said.

“They have collected P4.7 billion in just a little over a year. And that is just for one operator,” he added.