The Association of Ticket Sellers requested that the draft bill seeking to increase the percentage to 20 percent be addressed. "We have been waiting for this for 20 years," said the union leader, Fernando González.
Panama.- Sellers of chances and tickets of the National Lottery of Charity (LNB) have made a claim for the advancement in the processing of the project to increase their sales profits, raising the margin to 20 percent.
Fernando González, from the Association of Ticket Sellers, stated that they are requesting the new administration of the entity to increase the sales percentages. In this regard, he reiterated that there is a draft law in the National Assembly, which seeks to increase the profits to 20 percent. He maintained that a subcommittee was created to look at all aspects of the issue and with the new administration, a step forward has been taken for this to happen.
However, González expressed his concern because the Assembly may soon stop convening and perhaps the issue will be postponed to next year. "We ticket sellers have been waiting for this for over 20 years," the union leader complained about the urgency in adopting a new scale of profits on sales.
See also: Panamanians allocated USD 1.375m to gambling in the first five months of 2024
According to González, currently, the profit percentage is at 10 percent of sales, so raising it to 20 percent would mean a change in the life of the workers. Saquina Jaramillo, director of the institution, said that the corresponding evaluations will be made to comply with this request from the head of the Executive.
Finally, the head of the ticket sellers association explained the need to delve into the fight against illegal gambling, which is harmful to the LNB but also to the workers. According to a recent report from the LNB, illegal gambling would cause the entity to miss out on collecting about USD 200m annually.
While the debate to modify the amounts received by lottery sellers is taking place in the legislative sphere, the mayor's office of La Chorrera announced that it will carry out operations to combat the proliferation of illegal gambling.
The ticket sellers from that locality expressed how affected they are by the illegal sale of lottery tickets and requested that a stop be put to the offenders, detecting them with operations led by the Municipality of La Chorrera, in conjunction with the National Police (PN), Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) and the Public Ministry (MP).
The affected highlighted that there is a proliferation of premises dedicated to clandestine sales and emphasized that it is unfair competition that greatly affects their income, that of the LNB, and the State.
Senator Gatchalian has said that failure to act against illegal offshore gaming operators could result in legal consequences.
The Philippines.- Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has said local government units (LGUs) play “a crucial role” in enforcing a ban on all offshore gaming operators by year-end. Gatchalian has called on LGUs to monitor activities in their areas, especially gatherings of foreign nationals that might signal offshore gaming operations.
He said some operators had split into smaller groups to avoid detection, citing a recent raid in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, where workers were moved after a hub in Metro Manila was shut down.
Gatchalian said: “Offshore gaming operators became small groups that went into hiding in the provinces. This is where local governments come in, to be vigilant and be alert to such events. LGUs must be vigilant and proactive in addressing these activities. They cannot claim ignorance of what is happening within their areas of responsibility.”
He warned that LGU officials who do not act against illegal offshore gaming operators could face legal consequences. Gatchalian cited the case of Jaime Capil, the former mayor of Pampanga, Porac, who was suspended by the Ombudsman for alleged neglect of duty.
Gatchalian also called for strong cooperation among LGUs, law enforcement agencies, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to ensure all offshore gaming operator hubs are shut down by 2025.
Jesus Crispin Remulla, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), has said that 47 licensed offshore gaming operators are still operating in the Philippines. He said the DILG will begin site inspections on December 15 to ensure operators are in the process of winding down activities following the ban issued under Executive Order (EO) 74.
