Lottery is a form of gambling whereby a random number is drawn and the winner receives a prize. The winnings are often used to benefit public services, such as education and healthcare. Various governments regulate and control lottery activities. In the United States, state lotteries are operated by state-licensed companies, including private sector operators, while federally-regulated ones are run by a central government agency. In Australia, the National Lottery is run by Tatts Group under licence in each state and territory. There are also licensed re-sellers such as Netlotto Pty Ltd and Jumbo Interactive which sell Australian lottery products online.

In Canada, the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation operates four nationwide lotteries: Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Daily Grand, and Millionaire Life. The company is owned by the provincial/territorial governments of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. The profits of these lotteries are distributed to the governments of the provinces and territories, as well as to charities and community organizations.

The first lotteries in Europe were conducted by religious communities, but became commonplace after the Reformation. By the end of the 17th century, there were over two dozen public and private lotteries operating in France. They were used to fund a variety of projects, from the construction of churches and hospitals to the maintenance of parks and roads. A French law was passed in 1837 that banned lotteries in private households, but they continued to be popular in the countryside and among people who did not have access to banks or other financial institutions.

While the government has not ruled out legalizing online casino games, it is focusing on cracking down on illegal lotteries. Finance Minister Bounchom Ubonpaseuth recently told lawmakers that illegal lotteries from foreign countries, especially Vietnam, are sold online as many as four times a day. He said the ministry is trying to address the issue by investing in a system that can trace and identify those involved.

For many poor Vietnamese, selling lottery tickets is the only way to make a living. One such single mother, Huong, sells her tickets on the streets of Saigon for 16 hours each day with her husband Manh. On lucky days, they can make 230 000 VN-Dong per sale, which is about 10 US-Dollars. The income is enough for them to survive, but not enough to raise their children, whom they want to send to university.

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