A woman wearing traditional Lao attire and long, black skirt waits patiently in line for tickets for Laos Lotto, an ongoing live game which airs live every Wednesday evening. Dreaming about lottery numbers is a popular pastime among Lao people and they often ask one another “Have you had any good dreams lately?” to view results posted to Facebook or television and shared across Laos by lottery enthusiasts throughout their country.
Though lottery is popular among its citizens, many do not trust its prizes to be fair and equitable. Furthermore, the government recently instituted stringent measures against illegal lotteries: those caught engaging in them will either face fines or have their printing equipment confiscated; first-time offenders will receive education and an official warning notice, while repeat offenders face a fine of 50% of illegal lottery sales and 100% of printing equipment value respectively.
According to reports, lottery officials in Laos have been manipulating winning numbers to minimize large pay-outs from national lotteries, reports indicate. National lotteries take place three times weekly in Vientiane with drawing dates three months apart and frequently display numbers that either do not appear on tickets bought during purchases or that are considered unlucky and unlikely to win, sources indicate. 509 was one such number which appeared only partially during one such drawing (not as full number 509 ) reported RFA’s Lao Service from Vientiane resident resident on October 14 drawing day as reported by RFA’s Lao Service.
Additionally, private business interests involved with the lottery have been accused of exploiting poor and vulnerable people through unfair ticket pricing practices that cost more than needed while also evading taxes owed. This has caused much dissatisfaction among lottery enthusiasts who now demand that government regain control of this form of entertainment.
Laos has long had a tradition of playing lotto, yet some of its rules and regulations are outdated. While popular among its citizens, state authorities have struggled to make optimal use of its resources when it comes to managing lotteries; now more than ever the need for improved lottery management management has become vitally important for its economy’s progress. This workshop’s primary purpose is to identify key obstacles and suggest reform proposals to address them. Dr. Charles Zuckerman of TAEC, an expert on Laos, will oversee this session. His doctoral dissertation focused on gender and moral dimensions of gambling in Luang Prabang. Currently he is turning this research into a book. At our event in TAEC’s offices within Royal Palace starting at 1 pm he will outline how lottery operation has changed since 1975, providing insight into its political, economic and moral history as well as some mechanics associated with its operation in Laos. Join us and witness some fascinating insight into this important topic!