The internet has opened up a world of opportunities for lottery enthusiasts. Online lotteries allow players to play from anywhere in the world with a computer or mobile device. This has allowed more people than ever to participate in the lottery, and win big prizes. Online lotteries are secure and offer great odds of winning.
Several Lao sources told RFA that government officials are rigging the state lottery system, manipulating winning numbers to avoid large pay-outs. They said that in the drawing for the number 509 on Oct. 14, the winning number vanished from purchased tickets before the official draw and reappeared as a different number shortly before the drawing. The number reverted back to 509 an hour before the drawing was scheduled to take place. The same source complained that the same thing happened in a previous drawing for the number 134.
These complaints have prompted the government to take action. The minister of finance recently told a national assembly session that foreign country lotteries are sold in illegal fashion in Laos up to four times a day, even though the country has its own legal state lottery. The ministry has told the relevant sector to invest in and set up a system to trace and identify those involved in illegal lottery operations.
Although gambling is illegal for locals, the government has been allowing casinos to operate in special economic zones. However, a regulated gambling industry is still far from reality, and the question is whether the country will be able to compete with its neighbors that have much more developed gambling industries.
In the meantime, the booming market for lottery games is creating jobs for a growing number of people. These workers are not only distributing the lottery tickets, but also providing services to customers, such as cashing in their winnings and tracking the results of the lottery. The jobs are well-paying and stable, which is an important consideration for those looking for alternative ways to make money in the current tumultuous economy.
Despite the economic crisis, lottery sales have continued to grow, with a record 580 billion yuan ($80.6) in revenue last year. The sales are fuelled by an increasing number of middle-class and high-income consumers, with young people in particular turning to games of chance for relief from the slow-growing job market.
Unlike other forms of gambling, the lottery has been an important source of employment for Vietnamese people, particularly those in rural areas. In these communities, families struggle to survive and a lottery ticket seller is often their sole source of income. On average, a lottery ticket seller makes about 200 tickets a day. On lucky days, they can make up to 230 000 VND (US-Dollars). For some, such as single-mother Huong, the income is enough to support her and her daughter’s future. For others, it is an alternative to socially detested begging.