Laos Lotto offers participants the chance to wager on four-digit combinations for prizes up to 6 million kip, multiplying winnings 6,000 times depending on how many digits are matching. While lottery can provide income sources in rural areas where job opportunities may be scarcer than elsewhere, it also can become an addiction source and source.

Lotteries take place three times weekly and keep players at the edge of their seats as they compare the official results with their tickets purchased during draws. But concerns have surfaced about the integrity of this game with numbers seemingly disappearing from some purchased tickets during drawings.

Early this year, the winning number 509 only appeared as five on tickets purchased throughout the day of the drawing and did not appear in its final announcement. On Oct. 10, tickets with 09 appeared initially as 134 before changing 10 minutes later to 662; according to a source speaking anonymously for RFA’s Lao Service this may have occurred due to private business interests with an interest in manipulating lottery results in order to reduce payouts.

Sources said Insee Trading Company, which runs the lottery, knows which numbers people choose and therefore has the power to manipulate the system, while it remains unknown how much these private businesses pay the government in exchange for running the lottery.

Apart from falsifying numbers, lottery officials have also been accused of improperly handling the weight of balls used for drawing. A source alleged that heavier balls fell faster into their slots during drawing; this altering the outcome. But Vilasack Phommaluck, an official from the committee responsible for overseeing lottery, denied this allegation telling RFA they double-check each ball before using them in drawings.

Laos has a rich history of gambling, dating back to when its first lottery was introduced in the 18th century. At first, this lottery served to raise funds for religious orders to build or repair churches. By the late 19th century, gambling had become one of the principal sources of revenue for both monarchy and church; however, soon it was outshone by other more lucrative forms such as casinos or sports betting. State regulation now oversees lottery operations, but private business interests still maintain a significant presence on the market. A source stated that for maximum effectiveness of control by government over its lottery operation it should become fully managed by one ministry instead of being overseen by all of them simultaneously.