Lottery officials in the communist country of Laos are rigging the system and manipulating winning numbers, sources tell RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings of the state lottery are frequently interrupted or disrupted by alleged tampering, and the results often show numbers that do not appear on purchased tickets. One example was the Oct. 14 drawing, when the number 509 suddenly vanished from tickets that had been sold throughout the day of the drawing, a source said.

Private business interests with a stake in the lottery’s work include families of members of the ruling elite, RFA’s source said. “The national lottery should be supervised by the government, and not privately controlled by private business interests,” the source added.

Tune in tonight to witness the exhilaration as the Phattana lottery’s 6 numbered draw, the Tham Fun lottery’s 4/40 draw, and the Pattana lottery’s 5/45 draw are broadcast live on the Laolottery Facebook page from 8:00 PM. The live broadcast will be sent straight from the prize room.