PCSO's mandate
PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office) is the government agency that runs lotto, not PAGCOR. It was created by Republic Act No. 1169 in 1954. As amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 42 (1979), Section 1 says PCSO is the "principal government agency for raising and providing for funds for health programs, medical assistance and services and charities of national character." It has the authority:
"To hold and conduct charity sweepstakes races, lotteries, and other similar activities, in such frequency and manner, as shall be determined, and subject to such rules and regulations as shall be promulgated by the Board of Directors."
So Ultra Lotto, Grand Lotto, 6D, 4D, Swertres, EZ2 and others are PCSO games. You can find them all in our PCSO lotto guide. Under that 1979 amendment, 55% of net receipts go to the prize fund, and 30% to the charity fund.
STL: PCSO's numbers game
Small Town Lottery, or STL, is listed as a PCSO game on its official website. According to PCSO, in 2005 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed PCSO to help in the campaign against jueteng by offering an alternative: STL. The PCSO Board approved a test run on December 28, 2005, and the new STL launched in mid-February 2006. The first version of STL dates back to the time of President Corazon Aquino.
STL is run by private corporations under contract with PCSO. PCSO's own page says the contract can be revoked if a corporation commits violations. That means STL is legal only through an authorized operator and under PCSO. If a "kubrador" (collector) offers "STL" but has no clear link to an authorized operator, be careful.
Illegal numbers games and RA 9287
Republic Act No. 9287 (approved April 2, 2004) increased the penalties for illegal numbers games. Some of the definitions in Section 2:
- Illegal numbers game: "Any form illegal gambling activity which uses numbers or combinations thereof as factors in giving out jackpots."
- Jueteng: a combination of 37 numbers against 37 numbers (or 38 in some places), a type of local lottery.
- Masiao: the winning combination comes from the results of Jai Alai or something similar.
- Last Two: the winning combination comes from the last two digits of the first prize of a PCSO Sweepstakes ticket. Even though it uses PCSO results, it's still illegal because PCSO doesn't run it.
The penalties in Section 3, depending on your role:
| Role | Penalty (imprisonment) |
|---|---|
| Bettor | 30 to 90 days |
| Personnel or staff | 6 years 1 day to 8 years |
| Collector or agent | 8 years 1 day to 10 years |
| Coordinator, controller or supervisor | 10 years 1 day to 12 years |
| Financier or capitalist | 14 years 1 day to 16 years |
| Protector or coddler | 16 years 1 day to 20 years |
Source: RA 9287, Sec. 3. The table leaves out the maintainer, manager or operator; the range for that role is garbled in the copy we read, so read the full text on Lawphil.
Under Section 5, a government employee or public official involved as a collector, operator, financier and so on can be jailed for 12 years 1 day to 20 years, fined ₱3 million to ₱5 million, and permanently disqualified from public office.
What about online lotto?
PCSO's official online channel is E-Lotto, which had a test run in December 2023 and was suspended starting July 13, 2024. As of October 2026, we can't verify whether it has come back. In October 2023, PCSO filed a complaint against four companies running unauthorized online lotteries, citing RA 1169, PD 1602 as amended by RA 9287, and the Revised Penal Code. Details and red flags in our online lotto: official vs scam guide.
Foreign lottery sites
Some sites offer bets on US, European or other foreign lotteries, or on their own "lotto." Even if the website looks good, they are not PCSO. What they sell aren't PCSO games, their prizes aren't covered by PCSO's claim rules, and the income doesn't go to PCSO's charity fund.
PAGCOR, on the other hand, covers casinos and online casino games, not lotto. So even if a casino site has a PAGCOR license, that isn't PCSO lotto. If you're checking a casino site, use our Legit Ba? checker. We can't verify the legal status of every foreign lottery site in the Philippines, so our advice: only PCSO channels for lotto.
Age rule
PCSO's official website has an age gate: "On continue, you are confirming that you are 18 years of age or older." The former E-Lotto was also for 18 and over, with ID verification. The exact provision of law or PCSO rules setting the minimum age for buying a ticket at an outlet is not yet verified in the sources we were able to open. SugarFun itself is for adults 21 and over only.
Legal, but still risky
A legal game doesn't mean a good investment. In Grand Lotto 6/55: C(55,6) = (55 × 54 × 53 × 52 × 51 × 50) ÷ 720 = 20,872,566,000 ÷ 720 = 28,989,675. One ticket, a 1 in 28,989,675 chance at the jackpot. Each draw is independent, so there are no "hot" or "cold" numbers. For all games, read the lotto odds guide. If you win, learn the tax and claim rules in how to claim a lotto prize.
A budget you can afford to lose, and stop when it's no longer fun. More in Laro Nang Tama.
If it's not fun anymore
Open 24/7. Lotto is run by PCSO, but this is a national helpline and you can call even if lotto is the problem. If you're betting with money meant for bills or to "win it back," call first. Families can call too.
FAQ
Is lotto legal in the Philippines?
Yes, when it's a PCSO game through an official channel. Under the PCSO charter (RA 1169, as amended by BP Blg. 42), PCSO has authority to hold charity sweepstakes, lotteries and similar activities.
Is STL legal?
Small Town Lottery is a PCSO game. According to PCSO, it was introduced as an alternative to jueteng and is run through private corporations under contract with PCSO.
Can people who bet on jueteng or last two go to jail?
Under RA 9287, a bettor in an illegal numbers game can be jailed for 30 to 90 days. Penalties are heavier for collectors, operators and financiers.
Are foreign lottery sites that accept Filipinos legal?
They aren't PCSO, so they aren't official PCSO lotto. We can't verify every foreign site's permit. It's safer to bet only through official PCSO channels.
How old do you need to be to play lotto?
PCSO's website asks you to confirm that you're 18 years old or older. We haven't verified the exact provision of law on the minimum age for buying a lotto ticket yet.
Sources
- Lawphil, Republic Act No. 1169 (1954), the PCSO charter
- Lawphil, Batas Pambansa Blg. 42 (1979), amending RA 1169 (PCSO authority to hold lotteries; prizes unclaimed within one year from draw are forfeited to the charity fund)
- PCSO, Small Town Lottery page (opened via the Nov 24, 2025 archived copy; history of STL as PCSO's alternative to jueteng)
- Lawphil, Republic Act No. 9287 (2004), increasing penalties for illegal numbers games
- GMA News, PCSO files complaints vs illegal e-lotto operators (Oct 23, 2023)
- The Summit Express, PCSO suspends E-Lotto ops (July 2024)
- SunStar, PCSO launches e-lotto (Dec 15, 2023)
- The Summit Express, PCSO E-Lotto: how to register, buy ticket online (January 2024)
- PCSO, Lotto 6/42 page (opened via the Sept 19, 2025 archived copy; site age gate: "18 years of age or older")
Kassandra Marcos is SugarFun's lead reviewer. She checks every site against PAGCOR's official list and writes our game and responsible gaming guides. How we test