Lotteries are games of chance in which numbers are drawn to determine the winners. Prizes can be cash, goods, services or other valuables. They are operated by government agencies or private businesses, and their proceeds go to public service or charitable projects. The first modern lottery was established in France in the 17th century. It was called the “public lottery” for the city of Paris (Loterie de l’Hôtel de Ville). Later, the lottery expanded to other cities and states. In the US, it became more common to use a private company to run the lottery, and in the late 20th century, the Internet allowed people to play lotteries online.
In the US, there are now over 100 state-licensed and privately operated online lotteries. They offer a wide variety of games, including traditional scratch-off tickets, instant lottery games, and video lottery terminals or VLTs, which are similar to slot machines. The largest online lottery is the Mega Millions, which has a jackpot of more than $600 million. Other large lotteries include Powerball, EuroMillions and the National Lottery in Canada.
The International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation is a non-profit organization that manages a portfolio of websites, referred to as the ILLF brands. The ILLF pioneered Internet gaming, processing the first online lottery transaction in 1995 and is an early leader in providing online instant scratch-card games. In addition to operating lotteries, the ILLF supports charitable projects and organizations domestically and internationally.
A source familiar with the situation told RFA that the Laotian government has no control over the operation of the lottery, and the companies responsible for the lottery are privately owned by business interests close to the ruling elite. The companies pay the government for a permit to operate the lottery, but the government does not regulate their activities or monitor them. The source also said that some of the companies have been influenced by local business owners with political connections to the government.
Cheng Saephan, a 46-year-old immigrant from Laos who won a $1.3 billion Powerball prize in Oregon earlier this month, says he will share half of his winnings with his wife and friend. He was born in Laos and emigrated to Thailand before moving to the United States. He wore a blue sash at his news conference that identified him as an Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with origins in China, many of whom fled from Laos to Thailand and settled in the U.S. after the Vietnam War. He will use his winnings to start a medical clinic for Iu Mien families. He has fought cancer for eight years. He and his wife will take home $422 million after taxes, and he plans to give the rest to his friend, who chipped in $100 to buy the shared tickets. The couple bought the winning ticket at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland. The ticket was the fourth-largest in Powerball history. It was the only winning ticket sold in Oregon that night.