Hanoi Lotto is a widely popular gambling game in Vietnam that raises funds for social causes and infrastructure development. Easily played, Hanoi Lotto has become part of Vietnamese culture. Although simple to play, the game should be approached responsibly to generate revenues while simultaneously creating family unity and jobs for people.
While the global economic turmoil rages on, Vietnamese people have sought refuge in lottery tickets and sports events as ways of lifting their spirits. According to government reports, sales at 21 provincial lottery companies and new computerized company Vietlott increased 1.5 times from last year, leading to 8.8 trillion dong (US$376.2 million) total profits for 2022.
But with such exponential industry expansion comes an attendant downside for lottery sellers. Unfortunately, many of the 70,000+ hawkers who sell lottery tickets as their sole income source due to health, old age or disability issues cannot work and instead must rely on selling lottery tickets as their only form of income; some must even travel long distances in order to sell tickets in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City.
Phuong, a physically handicapped woman, spends her nights selling lottery tickets from a sidewalk stall on the street corner. With her experience selling over 700-1,500 tickets per day since last year’s launch of a special prize lottery game of up to VND12 billion or nearly $600k which doubled ordinary prize pools, Phuong is currently selling an average of 700-1,500 lottery tickets per day at night despite an income decline due to this game with its much higher prize pools of VND12 billion or nearly $600k than ordinary ones!
She attributes her poor performance to competition, saying many of her friends had lost savings and been forced to close their businesses due to rising competitor numbers. It was something she did not want for herself:
Nha Vy, a 26-year-old transgender dancer in Ho Chi Minh’s southern city of Ho Chi Minh, has found freedom and financial independence thanks to her career as a lotto show performer for two years. Since becoming known across Vietnamese television screens as one of its performers, she is one of hundreds of LGBT performers who have discovered newfound confidence through this traditional art form – lotto shows have grown increasingly popular as society changes its attitudes about homosexuals and bisexuals.
Though lottery products produced by foreign organizations may be legal to sell in Vietnam, any individual or organization cannot purchase them legally. As stated by Circular 36/2019/TT-BTC issued by the government, any organization or individual can only legally purchase lottery products produced and sold within Vietnam via terminal devices, landlines, mobile phones or the internet. Domestic players can only win jackpots through licensed lottery agents; otherwise they will face punishment under law. Eventually, however, government plans on creating a dedicated category of products where lottery products can only be bought online through terminal devices, landlines landlines mobile phones or the internet.
