HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
. ~ RECEIVED
pared O JUN 2018

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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Quezon, City | BY: ffi ral

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session REGISTRATION UNIT

House Bill No__ 601

Introduced by HONORABLE DANILO E. SUAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Gambling is the wagering of money or other items of value on an uncertain event,
dependent either wholly or in part on chance. Gambling has been practiced throughout human
history and continues to thrive around the world, both legally and illegally, as a lucrative
industry and popular entertainment activity.

Modem gambling, oftentimes called gaming, has increased rapidly in scope in recent
decades. The gaming industry provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of workers and is an
important source of tax revenue where it flourishes. Some community and religious groups
oppose gambling because of concerns that it leads to crime, corruption, and other social ills.
Legal gambling is subject to strict government regulation in much of the world, including
minimum age requirements and ~ in some cases- the odds of winning in specific games or
machines.

In the Philippines, games of chance and other numbers games are under the direct control
and supervision of certain government agencies, more particularly the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and
the Philippine Racing Commission (PRC). PAGCOR operates and regulates casinos throughout
the country. Lotto and sweepstakes operations are under the wing of the PCSO while PRC
handles all horse racing activities.

With respect to two of the Filipinos favorite pastimes, cockfighting, there is no
government agency handling this. The illegal numbers game, jueteng, remains prevalent and is
beyond the reach of government regulation. As it is, government is unstructured and scattered
when it comes to regulating gambling and gaming in the country. This set-up disallows
maximization of revenues on all types of gambling and gaming that Filipinos are engage in.

This bill thus seeks to centralize all government regulations and supervisions over
gambling and gaming in the country to ensure maximization of earnings from casinos, lotto and
sweepstakes operations, small time lottery (STL), and cockfighting and horseracing games and
from other numbers games. Through this proposed legislative measure, it is expected that with
the government assuming the role of a regulatory body, more taxes and fees will be collected by
the national government.

‘The approval of this bill is thus earnestly requested,

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DANILO E. SUAREZ
Representative
Third District, Province of Quezon

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon, City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No., 601

Introduced by HONORABLE DANILO E. SUAREZ

AN ACT CREATING THE NATIONAL GAMING COMMISSION, PROVIDING FUNDS
‘THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

licy of State to regulate the operation
ies within the territorial jurisdiction of

Sec.1. Declaration of Policy.- It is hereby declared th
and conduct of games of chance and other related act
the republic of the Philippines.

Sec.2. Creation of National Gaming Commission- To implement State policies and pursue the
objectives set forth in the preceding section, there is hereby created a National Gaming
Commission, hereinafter referred to as the “NGC”, which shall have regulatory powers over all
games of chance and other numbers within the territorial jurisdiction of the Republic of the
Philippines.

Sec.3. Coverage ~The NGC shall regulate the operation of casinos presently handled by the
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the lotto and sweepstakes operated
by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the horseracing events operated by the
Philippine Racing Commission (PRC), cockfighting and other existing numbers games:

Sec. 4. Composition. - The NGC shall be composed of one (1) Commissioner as its head and
four (4) Deputy Commissioners. Each Deputy Commissioner shall be in charge of casino, lottery
operations (sweepstakes, lotto, and small town lottery), cockfighting, and horse racing.

Sec. 5. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, other executive
issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

Sec, 6. Fifectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least
two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved