Lottery games are played worldwide in one form or another. In addition to the traditional paper tickets, there are now numerous lottery-style games that can be played online, often for free or for a premium fee paid for by advertisers or other sources. Several companies now specialize in the development and operation of these games. The oldest of these is the International Lottery Foundation, based in Liechtenstein. It pioneered Internet gaming and developed the first instant scratchcards. It also supports charitable projects and organizations domestically and internationally. It operates a number of websites under its PLUS and Lotto brands.
Online lottery sites operate from various jurisdictions and offer their services to players around the world. They typically offer a variety of lottery games, including the popular Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries, as well as video lottery terminals (slot machines in all but name). Some also provide other services such as player tracking, instant messaging and social networking. The legality of these online operations varies by jurisdiction.
The online game market has been expanding rapidly and has become a substantial source of revenue for many gaming companies. In 2009, online sales of lottery-style games surpassed $1 billion worldwide, and are expected to continue to grow. A large percentage of this revenue is generated by a small group of leading companies, led by GTech Corporation, which operates the majority of online and instant lottery games globally. Other major players include Scientific Games, iLottery and Euromillions.
In Laos, lottery officials have been unable to curb the growth of private business interests involved in the national lottery. Privately-owned companies now manage the lottery’s work, and some have close ties to the country’s ruling elite. A provincial official who spoke on condition of anonymity told RFA that the companies pay the state lottery office an annual concession fee, but that the public is not informed of this.
Despite this, the official said that the launching of E-Lotto will benefit physical outlets run by the government. This is because it will increase the lottery’s jackpot prize, thereby encouraging players to purchase more tickets, he added. Moreover, the heightened accessibility of E-Lotto is expected to boost revenue for charitable initiatives as well. For the time being, payment methods for the platform will be GCash and other e-wallets. However, discussions are underway to add more options.