Laos Lottery is one of Southeast Asia’s most beloved lotteries and an effective way to support charities and hospitals throughout Laos. You can play it online, by phone, or at various shops across Laos – making it convenient and fun – not forgetting that you can do it in your native tongue!
The lottery is a national tradition and for many people a source of hope. Winners can use their prize to bolster income or put funds towards owning a small business or starting an education fund for children. When results are announced, many anxiously check their tickets to see if they’ve won anything – an announcement usually causes ripples of excitement throughout the country!
Though the lottery may seem straightforward enough, several residents have raised concerns with how it operates. Many believe the weight of lottery balls is being altered so they fall faster through a drawing hole, leading to lower payouts for winners.
There have also been concerns regarding the legitimacy of lottery numbers used. Recent winning numbers included 367, 267 and 567–all numbers associated with turtles believed to bring bad luck in Laos. Many avoid picking number 67 due to its connection with this creature.
Recently, the Lao government has taken steps to address some of these problems. The prime minister issued a directive to the Ministry of Finance which oversees the lottery, asking it to collaborate with Ministry of Public Security in improving how it runs. In particular, this directive mandates one weekly state lottery draw as opposed to two, more transparent handling of winnings handling and closure of informal football lotteries and lottery chances purchased via short messaging services.
Even with all its drawbacks, lottery remains a significant source of revenue for the country. According to the Ministry of Finance, lottery accounts for about 80 percent of state revenue with sales of land and mining rights comprising only 20 percent. Over the past three years alone, it has raised an astounding $3 billion!
Laos’ population lives primarily in poverty without access to banking facilities, making the lottery an increasingly popular pastime. Particularly popular in its northern regions, this form of entertainment serves as the primary source of income for many families in Laos. Although in the past only limited control was exercised over it by government authorities, nowadays private businesses can sell tickets through licensed agents; how much these businesses pay the government remains undisclosed.
