Hanoi Lotto has quickly become an integral part of Vietnamese culture and society, raising funds for social causes and infrastructure development while creating job opportunities. Unfortunately, however, hanoi Lotto can also lead to addiction and financial issues; players should play responsibly.
Hanoi, Vietnam — Each nightly lottery draw attracts crowds of people here and fills the air with both resigned grunts and triumphant fist pumps. Pham Quang Huy, 13, can be seen writing down his winning numbers in a notebook as he dashes past people outside a cafe before dodging motorcycle headlights that illuminate his thin profile as he heads leftward towards home.
Huy has recently found himself the victim of human trafficking, one of the fastest-growing criminal industries worldwide and impacting victims from every continent. Human smugglers exploit desperate people searching for better lives or work – often exploited by organized crime groups who profit by trafficking.
Huy is just one of many people trapped in modern slavery; even though her government has pledged to combat trafficking, the problem persists widely. According to estimates from UNODC’s Asia office alone, over 2.6 million victims of human trafficking were estimated in 2010, more than double than what it had been in 2000.
The UNODC annual report highlights various contributors to human trafficking’s growth, such as rising drug demand and increased availability of cheap labor. Sex trade and rising vulnerability of women are other major drivers. Furthermore, lax border controls and immigration policies enable easy smuggling across borders.
Trafficking was once a lucrative venture for ticket sellers like Phuoc, earning around VND1,100 (US$0.38) per lottery set sold. But these profits alone cannot support his family; his mother sells tickets while also working at textile factory to make ends meet.
Lottery proceeds contribute a substantial sum of money to the state treasury and are used alongside other sources for projects across Vietnam, but lottery profits don’t provide enough security or economic development for people like Phuoc and his mother. Therefore, more needs to be done by the government to aid these families – for instance by mandating lottery dealers buy back unsold tickets and increasing commission rates for vendors living in poverty conditions and providing safe housing and healthcare as many don’t have other alternatives available to them. These recommendations could help reduce human trafficking which poses such a major threat to society health!