Title
Stiffer Penalties on Illegal Gambling
Law
Presidential Decree No. 1602
Decision Date
Jun 11, 1978
Presidential Decree No. 1602 imposes stiffer penalties on individuals involved in illegal gambling activities in the Philippines, covering various forms of gambling and penalizing those who permit gambling, while also providing rewards for informants and repealing inconsistent laws.

Law Summary

Definition of Illegal Gambling Activities

  • Illegal or unauthorized games of cockfighting, jueteng, jai-alai, horse racing, including bookie operations and game fixing
  • Lotteries such as numbers, bingo, and others
  • Dice games such as cara y cruz, pompiang, and similar
  • Card games including baccarat, poker and derivatives, blackjack, lucky nine, monte, panggruingue, and others
  • Tile games like mahjong, domino using plastic tiles
  • Mechanical gambling contraptions like slot machines, roulette, pinball
  • Various races including dog racing, boat racing, car racing
  • Individual or team sports contests with wagers including basketball, boxing, volleyball, bowling, ping pong
  • Banking or percentage games and any game involving wagers of money or valuables, based on chance or skill

Penalties for Participants

  • Persons participating in illegal gambling (other than those noted specifically) face prision correccional in medium period or fine 1,000 to 6,000 pesos
  • Recidivists face prision mayor in medium period or fine 5,000 to 10,000 pesos

Penalties for Venue Owners and Permitting Gambling

  • Persons knowingly permitting gambling in places they own/control
  • If done in reputed gambling places or public/government buildings: prision correccional in maximum period plus 6,000 pesos fine

Penalties for Maintainers and Conductors of Gambling Schemes

  • Maintain or conduct illegal gambling schemes face prision correccional in maximum period or fine 6,000 pesos
  • Government officials maintaining, conducting or banking gambling schemes face prision mayor in medium period with temporary absolute disqualification or fine 6,000 pesos
  • Same penalties for government officials involved as players, promoters, referees, judges, umpires, or coaches involved in game fixing or other machinations

Penalties for Possession of Gambling Materials

  • Possession, knowingly and unlawfully, of lottery lists or materials used in games like jueteng, jai-alai or horse racing bookies face prision correccional in medium period or fine 400 to 2,000 pesos

Penalties for Barangay Officials Neglecting Duty

  • Temporary absolute disqualification for barangay officials who fail to abate recognized gambling houses or places within jurisdiction

Penalties for Security Personnel Aiding Gambling Activities

  • Security officers, guards, watchmen, and private detectives affiliated with premises known for gambling face prision correccional in maximum period or fine from 500 to 2,000 pesos

Informers Reward

  • Informers providing information leading to arrest and conviction rewarded 20% of confiscated cash or articles for government

Repealing Clause

  • Repeals inconsistent provisions from Revised Penal Code Articles 195-199, R.A. 3063, P.D. 449, 483, 510, 1306, letters of instruction, laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, and city or municipal ordinances

Effectivity

  • Decree takes effect immediately upon publication at least once in a newspaper of general circulation

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