The Lao government needs to regain control of the state lottery system from private business interests that manipulate the games and prevent large pay-outs, sources in the communist country tell RFA’s Lao Service. Private business interests allegedly own the companies responsible for the national lottery and are connected to members of the nation’s ruling elite. Sources have complained that drawings for the state lottery are rigged, with numbers appearing on tickets purchased throughout the day then disappearing before the drawing. The government responded to the complaints on Aug. 17 with a directive ordering the lottery to reduce its number of drawing times and to handle winnings more transparently.