Lottery games are a popular form of gambling worldwide. They offer a wide range of prizes including cash, merchandise, and even free travel. Many state governments regulate and oversee lottery operations. Players are encouraged to play responsibly. All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing. Winning tickets may be redeemed at participating Expanded Cashing Authority Program (XCAP) retailers unless directed otherwise. In addition, winning tickets over $600 must be presented to Lottery headquarters.
In the United States, several private companies operate state-regulated lottery systems. The most prominent is the Powerball, which offers a large jackpot prize of over US$1 billion and is played in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Other notable lotteries include the Florida Lottery, Illinois Lottery, New Hampshire Lottery, and the California State Lottery. In the world of online lotteries, a number of websites claim to provide services similar to those offered by traditional lotteries. However, the legality of these sites is controversial.
Despite its relatively small size, Vietnam’s multi-billion dollar lottery industry is growing rapidly. According to VietNamNet Bridge, a Vietnamese news website, lottery sales have increased by 48 percent this year compared with three years ago.
As a result, lottery companies are expanding their presence on the internet. In the future, they are likely to offer additional services such as mobile apps and social networking games. This could make the lottery business even more lucrative.
In a country where begging is widely seen as demeaning, selling lottery tickets is a much more attractive option for the poor than traditional methods of earning money. For many Vietnamese, this is the only way to survive as the country’s social security systems aren’t yet ready to handle the number of poor citizens. On good days, Huong sells about 230 000 VN-Dong (10 US-Dollars) worth of tickets each day. This is enough to pay her child’s school fees and to buy food for herself and her husband, who supports the family by working at a construction site.
Lao officials are rigging the national lottery to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the communist nation tell RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings often show numbers that vanish from purchased tickets or are deemed unlucky and unlikely to be chosen. For example, the winning number in an Oct. 14 drawing showed up only as 5 on tickets sold throughout the day, a source told RFA.
The official responsible for the lottery says allegations of corruption are unfounded. He says that private business interests with a stake in the lottery’s work are paying an annual fee to the state to manage it, but no one is ever sure how much they actually pay. Lao deputy finance minister Sila Viengkeo also told RFA that the government will regain control of the lottery. Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh and Bounchanh Mouangkham for RFA’s Lao Service. Editing by Richard Finney.