The Philippines’ Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is urging regions to intensify efforts to crack down on illegal gambling, in particular, Bingo.
The authorities have noted that numerous areas have been promoting bingo under the guise of fund-raising activities, while actually standing to profit from the overall operations.
The DILG notes that only PAGCOR is allowed to supervise and control games of chance, and that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) can conduct such types of planned charity actions.
Under Philippine law, the regulations “prohibit all forms of unauthorized and unlicensed forms of gambling and games of chance. Bingo and other games are however allowed provided that these are played merely as parlor games or for home entertainment, are not held in places habitually used for gambling and do not have betting disguised to defeat the intent of the law,” notes a DILG director.
Those not regulated under PAGCOR or the lottery office are deemed illegal.
