PanaloKO RA 9287 Explained: Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games
RA 9287, approved on 2 April 2004, increases penalties for illegal numbers games such as jueteng, masiao and last two, and amends Presidential Decree No. 1602.
Key facts and contents
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RA 9287 is Republic Act No. 9287, approved on 2 April 2004.
Its full title is An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games, Amending Certain Provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602, and for Other Purposes. It belongs to the legal layer set out on the casino affiliate legal context page, and every figure below is taken from the text published on lawphil.net. Its prison terms reach every level of an illegal numbers game, from the bettor to the protector.
What RA 9287 is and what it is not
The facts of the Act in one place:
| Item | As printed |
|---|---|
| Approved | April 2, 2004 |
| Amends | Presidential Decree No. 1602 |
| Sections | 16 |
Section 1 declares the State’s policy to condemn illegal gambling activities such as illegal numbers games. Section 2(a) then defines the subject as any form of illegal gambling activity which uses numbers or combinations thereof as factors in giving out jackpots.
The Act names three games and nothing about licensed gaming. Its subject is the illegal numbers game, which is why the Act is not the right source for questions about the licensing of a lobby. For that, use the steps for a PIGO license check.
Section 2: the definitions as printed
Section 2 defines eleven terms, lettered (a) to (k). The three games and the roles are the ones that matter for reading Section 3.
| Term (Sec. 2) | Printed definition, shortened |
|---|---|
| (b) Jueteng | 37 numbers against 37 numbers, or 38 in some areas; bets placed per combination |
| (c) Masiao | Winning combination from the last Jai Alai game or the Special Llave result |
| (d) Last Two | Last two numbers of the first prize of the PCSO weekly Sweepstakes draw |
| (e) Bettor | Any person who places bets, other than the staff of the operation |
| (g) Collector or Agent | Collects, solicits or produces bets for a principal |
| (h) Coordinator, Controller or Supervisor | Controls and supervises the collector or agent |
| (i) Maintainer, Manager or Operator | Maintains, manages or operates the game in an area |
| (j) Financiers or Capitalist | Finances the operations |
| (k) Protector or Coddler | Lends protection or receives benefits from the operation |
Section 3: punishable acts and penalties
Section 3 sets one prison term per role. The table lists each term exactly as lettered in the Act.
| Role (Sec. 3) | Imprisonment |
|---|---|
| (a) Bettor | 30 days to 90 days |
| (b) Personnel or staff | 6 years and 1 day to 8 years |
| (c) Collector or agent | 8 years and 1 day to 10 years |
| (d) Coordinator, controller or supervisor | 10 years and 1 day to 12 years |
| (e) Maintainer, manager or operator | 12 years and 1 day to 14 years |
| (f) Financier or capitalist | 14 years and 1 day to 16 years |
| (g) Protector or coddler | 16 years and 1 day to 20 years |
Subsection (b) adds that the same penalty applies to a person who allows a vehicle, house, building or land to be used in the operation. As printed on lawphil.net, subsection (e) reads twelve (12) years and one (1) day to ten (10) fourteen (14) years, and the table shows the fourteen-year ceiling that the printed text ends on.
Sections 4 to 11: evidence, officials, parents and rewards
The remaining operative sections cover proof, public officials and procedure. Each carries its own figure or rule.
| Section | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Sec. 4 | Possession of gambling paraphernalia is prima facie evidence of an offence |
| Sec. 5 | A government employee or public official acting as collector, agent, coordinator, controller, supervisor, maintainer, manager, operator, financier or capitalist faces 12 years and 1 day to 20 years and a fine of P3,000,000.00 to P5,000,000.00 |
| Sec. 6 | A parent or guardian who induces a minor faces 6 months and 1 day to 1 year, or a fine of P100,000.00 to P400,000.00 |
| Sec. 7 | A recidivist takes the penalty next higher in degree |
| Sec. 8 | A witness for the government is immune from prosecution, subject to PD 1732 |
| Sec. 9 | Proceeds, paraphernalia and property are forfeited to the State on conviction |
| Sec. 10 | Informants on Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 go under the Witness Protection Program (RA 6981) |
| Sec. 11 | A reward may be paid from confiscated cash or articles, set by DOJ policy guideline |
Sections 12 to 16 and how RA 9287 differs from PD 1602
Section 12 gives the DILG, DOJ, NAPOLCOM and other agencies 60 days to issue the implementing rules. Section 14 provides that the pertinent provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602, in so far as they are inconsistent with the Act, are expressly amended or modified. Section 16 sets effectivity at 15 days after publication in at least two national newspapers.
PD 1602, issued in 1978 and titled Prescribing Stiffer Penalties on Illegal Gambling, covers a wide list in its Section 1(a), including cockfighting, jueteng, jai alai, numbers, bingo and slot machines. RA 9287 narrows to numbers games and raises their penalties. For the decree itself and its sabong context, read the PD 1602 penalties page. The supplier side of the industry is on the B2B casino page.
FAQ
What is RA 9287?
Republic Act No. 9287 is the 2004 law titled An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games, Amending Certain Provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1602, and for Other Purposes.
What is the penalty for a bettor under RA 9287?
Section 3(a) sets imprisonment from thirty (30) days to ninety (90) days for a person who acts as a bettor in an illegal numbers game.
How is RA 9287 different from PD 1602?
PD 1602 is the 1978 decree prescribing stiffer penalties on illegal gambling in general. RA 9287 deals with illegal numbers games only and amends PD 1602 where the two are inconsistent, under its Section 14.
Does RA 9287 cover licensed online casinos?
Its text defines and penalises illegal numbers games and names jueteng, masiao and last two. It contains no provision on licensed operators, and those are outside the Act's subject.