Pacific Online Systems Corp., the government’s exclusive online lottery system provider in Visayas and Mindanao, has acquired Lucky Circle Corp. for P18 million.

The acquisition was made via Pacific Online’s wholly-owned subsidiary Loto Pacific Leisure Corp. Lucky Circle owns and operates 20 online lottery betting stations located in several SM malls.

With the acquisition, Loto Pacific’s online betting stations will increase from 12 to 32 nationwide. “Loto Pacific will build on Lucky Circle’s present infrastructure and beef up its working capital.

We intend to multiply its presence in all SM malls, hypermarts and supermarkets, to distribute PCSO’s lottery products and instant scratch tickets,�? Pacific Online president Willy Ocier said. Pacific Online, a joint venture between Belle Corp. and Abacus Consolidated Resources Inc., expects its net income to grow more than three-fold this year to P170.7 million from only P50.5 million in 2006.

Total revenues are likewise projected to grow to P537.55 million, up 14 percent from the previous level’s P471.78 million.

In the first six months of the year, Pacific Online reported a 119.5-percent jump in its first half net profit to P65.2 million from only P29.7 million, mainly due to the continuous roll-out of new terminals. Revenues amounted to P218.8 million, up 11 percent from the previous level.