Lotteries are an extremely popular form of gambling in Laos and Thailand. Individuals pay a nominal sum to enter and have the chance of matching the numbers drawn during a draw; lotto tickets are sold across the country at kiosks and shops as well as by street vendors in cities and towns. Although legal in most jurisdictions, lottery players have used it to commit criminal acts such as fraud, theft and robbery while winnings from lottery tickets may not always get distributed correctly.

Lotteries provide entertainment to millions worldwide. Most people play for fun, while some aim to try and get rich quickly by participating in lotteries – while some even play in support of charity. In the US alone there are over two dozen state-regulated lotteries and numerous private ones – the biggest being Mega Millions, Powerball and Cash 5 Lotto; there are also health related lotteries like Canadian Health Lottery and American Health Care Foundation which host lotteries with this aim.

Laos offers a national lottery called Sibsonglasy Lottery, and on January 22 Mr Thongdy from Khounnoumnio village in Phongsaly province was lucky enough to take home first prize and win an Insee six-digit lottery ticket at auction for 1,000 kip and win over one billion Kip.

This sum may seem large, but it was not the largest prize ever won in Sibsonglasy Lottery. Three consecutive drawings in September resulted in prizes totaling 367, 267 and 666 Kip. Since 67 is considered a bad luck symbol in Laos, few gamblers would choose it as their combination. A Finance Ministry official serving on the committee that oversees lottery told RFA there had been changes made to address questions regarding legitimacy while considering other steps that will restore trust in it.

One solution would be limiting lottery drawings to once per week and altering how balls are weighted; currently the current system relies on balance scales that require each ball to weigh equal amounts; according to one local resident who follows lottery, some balls might weigh more than others leading to potentially unfair results.

Though controversial, Laos still hosts lottery players. Those who do claim that the government should regain control of its national lottery rather than leaving private business interests to run it; those involved with running it claim they have links with Laos’ ruling elite and do not pay enough taxes to support public services while further alleging inadequate government supervision over its operations.