Lotteries are games of chance where participants attempt to win a prize by matching numbers. The prizes range from cash to goods and services. The games are operated by governments, private enterprises, and non-profit organizations. In some countries, lotteries are regulated by law. In others, they are not. During the 17th and 18th centuries, lottery games were popular in Europe. In the United States, they became more popular in the 1900s as a source of state revenue. In the 21st century, lottery games are available on-line. Some states regulate online gaming and allow players to purchase tickets through licensed sites. Other states prohibit online gambling, but operators have found ways to circumvent this law.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Cheng Saephan wore a broad smile as he hoisted the oversized check he’ll split with his wife for winning $1.3 billion in the Powerball lottery drawing in Oregon this month. He raised his hand to the sky and said the win has changed his life. He also used the occasion to raise awareness for his Iu Mien ethnic group, many of whom fled their homeland in southeast Asia and settled in the United States following the Vietnam War.
The history of lottery dates back thousands of years, although the first known game was created by King Francis I in 1505 in Paris. The lottery resurfaced in the late 17th century as public lotteries for Paris municipalities and religious orders, and privately owned lotteries in the form of keno and video lottery terminals (SLTs). In the United States, instant ticket games, such as scratch-offs, have become a significant source of lottery revenues.
In Canada, before 1967 buying a lottery ticket was illegal. That year the federal Liberal government introduced a special bill (an Omnibus Bill) intended to bring up-to-date a number of obsolete laws, including the law on lotteries. The bill was sponsored by Pierre Trudeau, the Minister of Justice at that time. In Canada, the government operates a national lottery. Provincial/territorial governments operate the regional lotteries. The four nationwide lotteries are Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, Daily Grand and Millionaire Life.
A Lao source speaking on condition of anonymity told RFA that the business interests responsible for the country’s national lottery include people with connections to the ruling elite. The source said these interests pay the government an annual fee for a license to conduct the lottery, and no one ever inspects the operation.