The Maryland Lottery encourages responsible play and expects players to understand the game rules before playing. Winners must be at least 18 years old and may need to provide proof of age to claim prizes. For more information about responsible play, please visit our Responsible Gaming page.
The International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation (ILLF) pioneered Internet gaming and operated the world’s first online lottery, PLUS Lotto, in 1995. It was also the first organization to allow lottery players to purchase tickets online and process their winnings through a secure payment system. In addition to its lottery operations, the ILLF supports charitable projects and organizations domestically and internationally.
Currently, the ILLF operates several websites — including Lotto-Europe, which offers European lottery games — and the Instant Kiwi scratch card games. Its sites have more than 1.2 million registered users and are among the most visited in the world. In addition to its lottery operations, the company has a variety of other e-commerce activities, including the sale of sports team merchandise and event tickets.
In New Zealand, lottery games are controlled by the Government through an autonomous Crown entity, Lotto New Zealand. The company provides four national lottery games: Lotto, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Keno and the Instant Kiwi scratch cards. Profits from the games are distributed by the Lottery Grants Board to charities and community organizations.
In Laos, the state-owned lottery is operated by the Ministry of Finance. The state also maintains a legal framework to regulate lottery business. Its licensing requirements, for example, require lottery operators to submit financial reports. The Ministry’s licensing process is competitive. Lottery profits are largely used to support public welfare and development initiatives, such as education and health care.
Lottery officials are criticized for not doing enough to stop illegal lottery sales, which include football and other informal lotteries. A recent directive sent by the office of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on Aug. 17 asks the Ministry of Finance, which oversees the country’s legal state lottery, to work with the Ministry of Security to more effectively manage the problem. Accusations that the lottery lacks transparency are unfounded, Deputy Finance Minister Sila Viengkeo told RFA’s Lao Service.
The vast majority of the population in Laos is Buddhist, with 66% identifying as adherents of the Theravada school. About 1% are Christians, and 0.5% are Muslims or Evangelicals. The rest of the population belongs to minorities, including Khmou (Khmer), Hmong, and other ethno-linguistic groups. The Lao language is the official language, but English and French are also commonly spoken. The country’s climate is tropical with a wet season from June to September and a dry season from October to May. Its capital city is Vientiane. The country is divided into 17 units of administration, of which 16 are provinces and the municipal city of Vientiane. Its territory is also subdivided into districts and villages. Each district has a post office, police station and hospital.