Lotteries are government-sponsored games in which people can win prizes. There are different types of lotteries, and each one has its own rules and regulations. Some are national, while others are local or regional. Depending on the type of lottery, the prizes can range from money to goods or services. In many countries, lotteries are a source of public funds for education, infrastructure, and other social services. In addition, they can raise money for charitable organizations. In the past, some lotteries were illegal. This changed in 1967, when the Canadian federal Liberal government introduced a special law (an Omnibus Bill) intended to bring up-to-date a number of obsolete laws. This included an amendment concerning lotteries. The law did not make buying a ticket to the Irish Sweepstakes legal, but it did permit local governments to sponsor their own lotteries. Montreal’s mayor, Jean Drapeau, did just that. He tried to recover some of the money spent on the World’s Fair and the subway system by introducing a “voluntary tax.” The city asked people to pay a $2.00 “donation” in exchange for the chance to win a prize that could be anything from silver bars to money. The monthly draws went off without a hitch and attracted players from all over Canada, the United States, and Europe. In September 1968 the Quebec Appeal Court ruled Drapeau’s “tax” illegal.

In New Zealand, the state-controlled Lottery Commission operates four nationwide games: Lotto, Keno, Instant Kiwi, and Bullseye. The commission distributes the proceeds of these games to a variety of charities and community groups, including Sport and Recreation New Zealand, Creative New Zealand, and the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board. The Lottery Commission is also responsible for the development of Internet gaming. It launched the world’s first Internet lottery, PLUS Lotto, in 1995 and processed the world’s first online gambling transaction.

In Laos, state deputy finance minister and lottery supervisor Sila Viengkeo told RFA that accusations that the national lottery is not being managed transparently are unfounded. However, he did not address whether the private business interests involved in running the lottery have connections to the country’s ruling elite. The state is only a 50 percent owner of the business, which operates the national lottery and sells lottery tickets in Laos and abroad. It is not clear how much the business interests pay for the annual cost of the concession, and no one inspects their work. Reported by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFA’s Lao Service. Translated by Richard Finney.