LOTTO sales of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in the Visayas and Mindanao rose sharply last year due mainly to the rollout of a wider distribution network.

In a statement, publicly-listed Pacific Online Systems Corp.—the exclusive distributor of lotto tickets for both geographic areas—said total revenue from the lottery service rose from P6.49 billion in 2008 to P7.69 billion last year, or an annual increase of 18.5 percent.

“The gain in lottery sales likewise increased the revenues of Pacific Online,” its president and CEO Willy Ocier told the bourse.

Growth was principally driven by an aggressive terminal rollout, which increased the total number of betting terminals for 2009 to 1,748 from only 1,500 in 2008, representing a 16-percent expansion.

“The significant jackpots during 2009 further spurred the interest of the betting public, thus increasing sales of PCSO,” he added.

Another PCSO game service—the roulette-like online Keno—also resulted in higher sales, from P32.3 million in 2008 to P88.67 million last year, representing an increase of 2.7 times.

Pacific Online through its subsidiary, Total Gaming Technologies, which is the holder of the equipment lease agreement for nationwide Keno, increased its rollout. Betting terminals increased from 34 in 2008 to 100 in December 2009.

He added the Pacific Online overshot its sales targets for lotto and ScratchIt sales last year.

“Net income figures will be announced in February,” Ocier said. “We expect 2010 to be another exciting year of network expansion and new PCSO products.”

The company now has close to 2,000 distribution outlets for the instant tickets.

By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:36:00 01/06/2010