Americano Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Just saw on the News that the Vice-mayor and five councilmen in Manila were arrested for playing Bingo. Here's a link to the News story. http://ph.news.yahoo.com/isko-5-councilors-arrested-over-illegal-gambling-162336299.html This was a surprise to me because in Ozamiz City which is in Mindanao on the 3rd floor in the Gege Mall is a very large room where Bingo is played almost every day and the winner wins money. I haven't played the game but watched it while eating near by. Anyway, I guess we should all take this as a warning. Maybe every kind of gambling is illegal in the Philippines including Cock fighting but enforcement is done randomly or when someone is pissed off at you. Edited February 17, 2013 by Americano 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brock Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 They have Bingo sessions at the Waterfront Hotel, I cant see how gambling is illegal with Casinos and cockfights everywhere you look. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootleultras Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 Its not illegal to play bingo here, most malls especially SM malls have a large bingo hall. I guess the problem with these guys is the police believe they had a gambling den in a private residence which is against the law.... Or the police saw there own chance to make headlines and maybe get a promotion for arresting someone high profile ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJReyes Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 Bingo is licensed through the Philippine Amusement and Gamining Commission Corporation (PAGCOR) similar to casinos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 And Bingo.... was his name..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i am bob Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 The big Bingo Halls all have cash prizes and must be registered. This was a small bingo game that was not being run for cash but for fun. It did not need to be registered or licenced. This looks like another issue for political reasons and thus I won't go into it any further. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJReyes Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 The big Bingo Halls all have cash prizes and must be registered. This was a small bingo game that was not being run for cash but for fun. It did not need to be registered or licenced. This looks like another issue for political reasons and thus I won't go into it any further. The justification is the small bingo games are for fun only or to raise money for a charitable cause. You still need a permit, but I believe this can be issued by the city mayor or at the barangay level. The church bingo in the United States was popular at one time, but the proliferation of casinos and other forms of gambling changed things. I believe there are only two states which does not permit legalized gaming - Utah and Hawaii. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i am bob Posted February 17, 2013 Posted February 17, 2013 I"ve been reading all the different newspaper reports on this. I won't put links to them because they are almost all the same. The only additional information I have found is that, when the law was changed concerning what has to be licensed or need to get permits, Bingo was exempt if kept to a "parlour" game. Another report stated that the reason for the arrests was because the names of the politicians running for parties against the current mayor (Lim) were marked on some of the cards. Mayor Lim stated that he had nothing to do with the police investigation and arrests but the police are also saying that they were just following orders - wouldn't that have to be the Mayor- asked Moreno? And now Mayor LIm is saying he is going to go to COMELEC to see if any further can be done politically towards the coming election in regards to the politicians who were arrested and just happen to be against Lim. And, as an interesting side to all of this, those who were arrested were released with further investigation to be carried out - which means that now all these politicians will be sitting through an election period with the stigma of "running an illegal gambling den" over their heads throughout the election. And one I almost missed - the spokesman for the PNP cannot say if Bingo is truly illegal or not illegal but it appears that it is as Moreno and the others were arrested over running a Bingo. Note that it was the MPD and not the PNP who arrested and charged the group. I love reading the Philippines news! Who needs soap operas? :mocking: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Americano Posted February 19, 2013 Author Posted February 19, 2013 According to this update news article its not illegal to play Bingo as per Republic Act 9287 dated 2004. http://ph.news.yahoo.com/isko-moreno-file-raps-vs-policemen-arrested-him-043209005.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted February 19, 2013 Posted February 19, 2013 Now they are saying: Moreno and company violated the law against premature campaigning because the seized bingo cards contained his name as well as that of Estrada and the other councilors . Now that's getting to the heart of what its all about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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