As a secluded mountainous country in the heart of Southeast Asia, Laos nurtures a unique tradition of lottery participation. However, the lottery has been criticized for being a form of gambling for the poor and has also come under scrutiny due to alleged mismanagement. Some have even claimed that the results are rigged. These claims have led to a loss of trust amongst players. A recent scandal involves the weight of the balls used for the lottery, which is believed to impact the outcome of a draw. Other concerns include the mystical aura of certain animal numbers. Those who play the lottery often choose tickets with numbers associated with mystical animals such as the crab, rooster and spider.
A Lao woman who grew up in an orphanage says she plans to donate some of her $55 million lottery jackpot to the people who raised her. Xia Rattanakone, 44, was adopted by an American family in 1979 and moved to Seattle. She and her husband plan to retire from their jobs, his as an aide at the city schools and hers at Nintendo of America, and return to search for her birth family in Laos.
The linguistic anthropologist is the author of several books including “Landscape of the Invisible: Gender and Morality in Laos” and is currently writing a book on gender and culture. Her most recent doctoral research, funded by the National Science Foundation of the United States, explores linguistic and cultural diversity in Laos.
Gambling in Laos is a complex issue. Although all forms of gambling are illegal for locals apart from the state lottery, thousands of tourists storm the country’s few casinos. Moreover, the 2001 Penal Code states that “forbidden gambling” is illegal but it doesn’t mention which kinds of gambling are prohibited. While the government is attempting to regulate the market, the process is slow. It could be a long time before a regulated gambling environment shapes up in the country, especially around online betting, which seems to be unmonitored. In the meantime, most bettors choose to place their bets with international bookies that aren’t blocked by the authorities.