Pacific Online Systems Corp. signs deal for E-Lotto one-year test run

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) began the test run of its E-Lotto digital betting platform on a Friday, according to Cebu Daily News¹. The Pacific Online Systems Corp. (POSC), described as a company with 27 years of experience in the lottery industry, signed a deal on August 30, 2023 for E-Lotto's one-year test run in the country¹. POSC will act as the exclusive agent only during the test run¹.

During the trial, which lasts one year, players can place bets online and receive payments for their winnings electronically¹. PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles said the agency expects the new mode to double the number of bettors from the current 2 million to about 4 million a day¹. Officials said E-Lotto was expected to boost revenue for the numbers game to P70 billion in 2024, from the P55.3 billion made through traditional lotto games in the first 11 months of the year¹.

Registration requires an account at elotto.pcso.gov.ph with a mobile number, a one-time password, and a personal identification number¹. An online know-your-customer process requires a scanned government ID to validate the registrant is over 18 years old, plus a selfie for verification¹. Once registered, a bettor can link a GCash account to the E-Lotto wallet; the report says this will later expand to other e-wallets and bank accounts, though credit card payments are prohibited¹.

The platform was accessible only via internet browsers at launch, with iOS and Android apps expected in a few weeks¹. PCSO said the digital version will complement the traditional lotto network of 4,600 kiosks nationwide¹. Robles said the decision to press ahead was spurred by the pandemic, when lockdowns kept physical outlets closed: "Because of that, we had no lotto revenues and we had less funds at our disposal for our charitable work and to help other government agencies"¹.

What it means for players

Filipinos anywhere in the world can take part in the same daily lotto draws done in the Philippines without lining up at physical outlets¹. Bets and winnings payments can be handled electronically during the trial¹. Registration is limited to people aged over 18, verified through a scanned government ID and a selfie¹. Payment into the E-Lotto wallet is by linked GCash account at launch, with credit cards prohibited¹. The report does not state whether non-Filipino residents or visitors may register, and it does not give the minimum age rules beyond the over-18 verification. For background on how state lotteries work and who may play, see Lotteries in Asia: How State and Licensed Lotteries Work, Odds, Prizes and Who May Play and Can You Buy PCSO Lotto Tickets Online?. General rules on buying through agents and foreign sites are covered in Buying Lottery Tickets Online Through Agents and Foreign Lottery Sites, and jurisdiction-level rules in Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions and Can I Gamble in the Philippines?.

What happens next

The test run is scheduled to last one year from its launch¹. PCSO said iOS and Android apps were expected to be launched in a few weeks from the launch¹. The report says the E-Lotto wallet will in future be expanded to other e-wallets and bank accounts¹. No date has been reported for the end of the trial or for any decision on a permanent arrangement.