Lotteries are popular ways to raise money for a range of causes, from public education systems to the building of bridges and roads. In the United States, the federal government oversees a system of state-run lotteries, and some states also operate their own lotteries. In Canada, the national lottery is a multi-million dollar enterprise run by provincial and territorial governments. The country currently has four nationwide lotteries: Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Daily Grand, and Millionaire Life. Private lotteries are also legal in Canada, as they are regulated by the provinces and territories.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has launched a new online lottery system, which allows players to buy tickets and check their winnings from the comfort of their homes. The PCSO E-Lotto is a safe and modern online gaming platform that provides a more convenient and accessible lottery experience for Filipinos, the PCSO said in a press release. The new platform will be available through the PCSO website and mobile app, with more platforms to be added in the future.
PCSO E-Lotto is free to use and will allow people to purchase and claim prizes online, the PCSO said in a statement. It will initially offer two of the most popular games in the Philippines, TOTO and Megamillions. It will also feature other lotto games including Powerball, Keno, and Bullseye. The new online lottery platform will help the PCSO increase its revenue for charitable initiatives, it added.
In the communist nation of Laos, officials in charge of the national lottery are rigging the game to avoid large pay-outs, sources in Vientiane told RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings often display numbers that vanish from purchased tickets or are deemed unlucky and not to be chosen, the sources say. For example, on Oct. 14 this year, the winning number 509 appeared only as a five on tickets sold throughout the day of the drawing. The number was later changed to 134, but only about 10 minutes before the drawing was scheduled, the source added.
Lotteries are illegal in Laos, but they persist despite the country’s strict gambling laws. Licensed casinos in Special Economic Zones offer legal lottery games, but most lottery games are conducted underground. These games are often organized by groups of friends and family members, with a group leader collecting the money to pay for the tickets. Some players even purchase lottery tickets through short messaging services (SMS).