hanoi lotto

Unlike other forms of gambling, where private capitalists are responsible for the market, the lottery is run by government officials. This woman is a representative of the state-run company. She sells tickets for a variety of numbers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She is marginalized by a competition from private companies but passively accepts her role. She is a face of state capitalism in Laos and in other countries in Asia.

RFA’s Lao Service can reveal that business interests with ties to the nation’s ruling elite oversee the national lottery and manipulate results. Drawings often show numbers that are not available on purchased tickets, or that have been deemed unlucky.