Lotteries are a popular form of gambling that award prizes to those who buy tickets. In some countries, such as the United States, state governments regulate these games. Others permit private companies to organize them. The money collected through these games is often used to fund public projects. In addition, lottery profits are often earmarked for education.
Lottery games have a long history in human culture and societies, but their modernization has been accelerated by the advent of online technologies. This has opened up opportunities to play them around the world and led to the development of instant lottery tickets. These tickets are similar to traditional scratch-off games except that the ticket is printed on a paper strip rather than being made of plastic. Gtech Corporation is a major supplier of these instant tickets and controls 70% of the worldwide business for lottery-style games online, according to its website.
In Laos, however, the government is rigging the lottery system to avoid large pay-outs, sources tell RFA. They say that the winning numbers from national drawings are not appearing on purchased tickets, and that many people are seeking out a particular number—09—which is a sacred date for the country’s communist regime. The source added that the scheming is particularly evident during drawing nights.
The Lao government rationalizes its control of the lottery as an economic activity that is coherent with socialist goals. The companies that run the lottery, however, are not transparent about their financial activities and do not disclose how much they pay the state for a concession. The source also says that these companies include family members of the country’s ruling elite.
This talk will explore the political, economic and moral history of the Laos lottery since its creation in 1975. It will examine what playing the lottery, choosing a number, and winning means for people on the ground, with a special focus on gender and morality. Charles (Chip) Zuckerman is a linguistic anthropologist and teaches at the University of Sydney. His doctoral research explored moral and communicative dimensions of gambling in Luang Prabang and is being turned into a book. His more recent ethnographic research, funded by a grant from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, has focused on state enterprises in Laos. His talk will draw on this work and others in the region to make sense of the mechanics of the lottery. It will also highlight what these games are doing to the economy of the country. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please RSVP on TAEC’s Eventbrite page. The deadline to register is Wednesday, November 7. The event will take place at TAEC’s new facility in the heart of Portland.