Laos’ first legal state lottery, established in 1975, has long been a source of significant revenues. This talk examines its political, economic and moral history since then – how the government rationalized gambling activities as economic activities that fit within socialist goals; Dr. Charles Zuckerman is a linguistic anthropologist who studies Laos. His doctoral research explored gender roles within gambling culture in Luang Prabang; while his postdoctoral work examines cultural diversity and convergence among indigenous communities there.
Laos stands out with its state-run lottery system. While other forms of gambling – including online casinos – exist within its borders, Laos’ primary form is the national lottery which takes place once each week at Societe des Loteries de Laos with winnings announced the same day during a drawing ceremony conducted there by lottery announcers or officials who often comment about its importance as both an economic and social activity for Laos.
Recent weeks, some lottery players have raised doubts about its integrity by discovering certain numbers were not winning ones – such as “509”, a symbolic number in Lao culture which failed to appear during four consecutive drawings at the end of September. This led many players to doubt its integrity while authorities justified it as technical error.
RFA’s Lao Service recently received confirmation from the Minister of Finance who oversees the state lottery that changes have been implemented as a response to allegations regarding it. He indicated that one drawing will now take place weekly as well as tightened verification rules for winners, while informal football lotteries and chances purchased via short messaging services will be dismantled and closed down permanently.
Some players have voiced displeasure with the new rules, arguing they will diminish its popularity and lead to less money being distributed to lower-income households. Others, however, see them as positive steps that will restore its reputation. Numerous lottery winners in recent years have given back part of their winnings to their families or local communities as charity donations. One woman who spent much of her formative years living in an orphanage before moving to the U.S. during the 1960s and ’70s will use some of her $55 million jackpot win to assist in finding her birth family back in Laos. Xia Rattanakone and her husband plan to quit their jobs as school aides at Seattle public schools and Nintendo of America so they can return to Laos in search of family. A small group of Laotians in the United States has established a fund in support of this endeavor.