Lotteries are government-run games that give away large prizes to people who buy tickets. They are popular in many countries, and the prize money often benefits charitable causes. Some governments tax the winnings, while others don’t. The International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation is a charity that operates Internet lottery games and supports projects and organizations both domestically and internationally. Its websites, which are referred to collectively as the ILLF brands, were some of the first on the Web. They also pioneered the use of electronic payments.
The winners’ identities are usually kept secret until they claim the prize. However, the identity of a Powerball winner was revealed after he or she won the jackpot. The winning ticket was purchased at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Milwaukie, a suburb of Portland. The winner, Cheng Saephan, is a member of the Iu Mien ethnic group, whose members were recruited to fight alongside American troops in the Vietnam War. Saephan’s family emigrated to Thailand in 1987 before moving to Oregon, where he works as a carpenter. He says he plans to share the money with his wife, Duanpen, and his brother, who is in Laos. He also wants to help his family and friends.
In Canada, the national lottery is operated by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, a consortium of five provincial/territorial lotteries: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario), Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories), and British Columbia Lottery Corporation (British Columbia). Profits from these games are distributed to charities and community organizations in each jurisdiction, as well as educational programs.
Despite being illegal, gambling in the communist country of Laos is booming. But lottery officials are rigging the system in order to avoid paying large pay-outs, RFA’s Lao Service has learned. Drawings are often marred by numbers that disappear from purchased tickets, or are deemed unlucky. For example, the winning number of the Oct. 14 lottery draw was 509, but appeared as a number 5 on tickets sold throughout the day.
Some of the country’s largest private businesses are involved in running the lottery, and their connections to the ruling elite are not always clear. A source familiar with the matter told RFA that business interests that manage the national lottery include families of Lao state leaders and senior military officers. This raises questions about whether or not the lottery’s results can be trusted. The official said the government should resume control of the lottery, or at least oversee its operations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.