PCSO launches PLS to for more secured lottery operations
THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday said it has launched a brand-new Philippine Lottery System (PLS) which will give lottery operations more security.
The new lottery system has been certified to comply with the World Lottery Association security control standards (WLA-SCS), including the ISO 27001 standards, ensuring the system’s integrity and security.
PCSO general manager Mel Robles and other agency officials, together with representatives from the Commission on Audit, witnessed the transition from the old lottery system to PLS at its command center at the PCSO Conservatory Building in Mandaluyong City Sunday.
Robles said the PLS has many benefits, such as the centralization of sales reports, generation of winning numbers and more accessible validation of tickets.
Such benefits would lead to improved efficiency and transparency for both the PCSO and lottery players, the general manager added.
“The Philippine Lottery System Project is a testament to our commitment to innovation and providing the best experience for our valued customers… All lottery operations are now seamlessly integrated into a unified platform,” he added.
For the past two decades, the PCSO has used two separate lottery systems nationwide for its lotto outlet’s ticket-selling operations–the Philippine Gaming and Management Corporation (PGMC) system for Luzon and the Pacific Online Systems Corporation (POSC) system for Visayas and Mindanao.
Though the agency’s plan to install a centralized lottery system has been in the works for around a decade, it was stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The P5.6-billion project was initiated by the previous administrations of the PCSO and passed through public bidding.
The winning bidder was granted a Notice to Proceed on Dec. 6, 2021, and was initially given 14 months to implement the PLS.
It was granted an extension of eight more months to complete manufacturing processes amid supply chain problems because of the pandemic.
Now, the PLS enables the PCSO to efficiently generate draw results which lead to quicker announcements of jackpot winners and their respective locations.
Through the system, the agency can also conduct more advanced draws.
