The Internet has made it possible for people to play lottery games without leaving their homes. These games are known as instant lotteries and include scratch cards, keno, and video lottery terminals (slot machines in all but name). Although these games have become popular in many countries, they may not be legal in all jurisdictions. This is because gambling laws vary from country to country and have not kept pace with the growth of the Internet. Nevertheless, some companies, such as GTech Corporation in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, have developed systems to process lottery-style games on the Web.
In the United States, lottery games are regulated by state laws. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission regulates the sale of lottery tickets and monitors advertising practices. Lottery players are advised to read the rules and regulations of the game they choose before purchasing a ticket. Some states have banned the sale of tickets to minors. The state of New Jersey has enacted laws to protect lottery players from unscrupulous operators.
A few years ago, buying a lottery ticket was illegal in Canada. In 1967 the Canadian government introduced a special law, an Omnibus Bill, to bring up-to-date several outdated laws, including the one regulating lotteries. The bill was sponsored by Pierre Trudeau, the Minister of Justice.
Lottery games in Canada are operated by interprovincial organizations funded by provincial and territorial governments. These organizations are the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario), and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut). In addition, there are private lotteries operating in Manitoba, and the Isle of Man participates in the United Kingdom National Lottery and EuroMillions.
Some of these private lotteries have made headlines for questionable business practices and for allegedly defrauding players. In one case, a lottery operator in Quebec City was found to have manipulated the results of an online lottery, stealing millions of dollars from players.
In Laos, a number of private lotteries operate in the cities and provinces. These lotteries are based on a system in which developers use lottery numbers to select applicants for their housing developments. Periodically, these developments open their waiting lists and accept applications based on this lottery system. In addition, some of these lotteries offer monthly draws for prizes that range from food to furniture.
A caller to RFA’s Lao Service complained that private business interests have too much control over the national lottery. “Hopefully the government will regain control of the lottery, because these businesses should not be responsible for managing the national lottery,” he said.