Lottery officials in Laos have been rigging the system by manipulating winning numbers to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the communist nation tell RFA’s Lao Service. They also change the winning numbers during drawings in order to prevent public outcry. For example, the number 09 in this year’s Oct. 14 drawing appeared only as 5 on tickets purchased throughout the day before the lottery was held, while it was listed as 09 just an hour before the drawing took place. The number has been associated in Laos with buffalo, a symbol of good luck.

Meanwhile, illegal online lotteries based in foreign countries are booming in Laos, Finance Minister Bounchom Ubonpaseuth told lawmakers recently. These lotteries lure people into habitual gambling and should be regulated, he said. The government will invest in a system that can trace those involved. The official called on authorities in charge of the lottery enterprise to take action against illegal operations and to reduce the frequency of national lotteries to two times per week and end the scratchcard lottery.