The beginning of lotteries in the Philippines
The history of lotteries in the Philippines began in the early 19th century when private enterprises known as Empresa de Reales Loteria Espanolas de Filipinas, operating under the Spanish Government’s authority, conducted loterias as a means of generating revenues.
Surprisingly, even the national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, participated in these loterias and managed to win ₱6,200.00 in the draw of 1892 while he was in exile in Dapitan. What makes this win even more remarkable is that Dr. Rizal chose to selflessly donate his winnings to an educational project, illustrating the potential of lotteries in supporting charitable and social welfare initiatives.
Unfortunately, with the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, loterias came to a halt, and the practice remained dormant for several decades. It wasn’t until the early 1930s that the concept of holding lottery games was revived. In 1932, the government conducted the first Sweepstakes draw with the primary goal of raising funds to support sports projects for the Filipino youth through the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF).
This inaugural PAAF Sweepstakes turned out to be a resounding success, encouraging the Philippine government to organize more draws for the benefit of the Philippine Anti-Tuberculosis Society, which is now known as the Philippine Tuberculosis Society (PTS). These draws were administered under the umbrella of an organization called the National Charity Sweepstakes.
The introduction of lotteries through the Sweepstakes draws marked a significant shift in utilizing lottery revenues for social causes. By supporting sports projects and combating tuberculosis, lotteries demonstrated their potential as a valuable source of funding for charitable and welfare endeavors. This shift in focus laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in 1935, a government-regulated institution tasked with conducting lotteries and other gaming activities to fund healthcare and social welfare programs.
Over the years, the PCSO has expanded its scope and introduced various lottery games and gaming activities, all with the noble purpose of raising funds for medical assistance, hospitalization, health programs, and other charitable initiatives.