Lottery officials in the communist country of Laos are rigging the lottery system to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the capital Vientiane tell RFA’s Lao Service. The results of the national lottery drawings are often skewed because numbers that vanish from purchased tickets are not chosen, and numbers that are considered unlucky or unlikely to be selected are deemed not to win at all. The winning number 509 in a recent lottery drawing appeared only as a 5, for example, while ticket buyers sought tickets with the lucky numbers 09 or 5. The winnings from the lottery are used by government ministries and local governments to help support local projects and programs.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A former Laotian immigrant whose luck hit big on the Powerball jackpot has been a goodwill ambassador for his people. Cheng Saephan celebrated the $1.3 billion jackpot with a news conference wearing a sash identifying him as an Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with roots in southern China. Thousands of Iu Mien families fled Laos to Thailand and settled in the United States after the Vietnam War.
In the early 19th century, private lotteries were popular in urban areas of Europe and the US. Some were run by religious orders, and others by municipal government or private corporations. The first French lottery was created in or around 1505. It was forbidden for two centuries before it reappeared at the end of the 17th century as a “public lottery” for Paris and a “private” lottery for religious orders.
By the beginning of the 21st century, the popularity of Internet gaming was on the rise, causing lotteries to move online. Lottery-style games are generally not regulated, and legality of the activity varies from region to region. Many online games are free to play, but players must be aware of the rules and regulations of their jurisdiction before making a purchase. Some companies offer premiums on the base lottery price, which makes them illegal.
The Lottery Commission of New Zealand regulates the activities of the state-run Lotto, which has a maximum prize payout of NZ$1 million. The profits from the New Zealand Lottery are primarily distributed to charities and community organizations. The money raised also funds sport and recreation, arts and culture, and social welfare initiatives.
Lotteries are also legal in Canada, but before 1967 buying a lottery ticket was illegal. In that year the federal Liberal government introduced a special law called an Omnibus Bill that brought up-to-date a number of obsolete laws, including the one concerning lotteries. The Minister of Justice at the time, Pierre Trudeau, sponsored the Bill. As a result of the amendment lottery sales rose dramatically. Players from Canada, the U.S., and Europe took part in the monthly draws.