The national lottery in Laos is more than just a game of numbers, it’s a unique tradition that binds communities together. Whenever the results are announced, there is an air of excitement that ripples across the nation as people check their tickets in hopes of becoming lucky winners. For those who do win, it’s more than just a monetary prize, it is a chance to start a new life and a glimmer of hope in a land where economic opportunities can be scarce.
But the lottery is also a source of controversy. Private business interests have been allowed to operate the national lottery, and some of those interests have connections to the country’s ruling elite. This has raised concerns that the lottery is not being operated in the public interest. In a call to RFA’s Lao Service, one caller said that private business interests should not be responsible for the national lottery, and that the government should resume control of it.
Another concern with the lottery is that it can be rigged. Drawings sometimes show numbers that disappear from purchased tickets or that are deemed unlucky, such as the number 09 which was shown only as a five on Oct. 14 this year, according to a caller to RFA’s Lao Service. The caller said this was a sign that officials are manipulating the lottery system to avoid large pay-outs. The caller urged the government to take steps to prevent this from happening.
