Across Laos, people play the lottery for more than just a chance to win a few bucks. It is a national tradition, a social leveller and a glimmer of hope in a country where economic opportunities can be scarce. So, every announcement of the winning numbers sends a wave of excitement across the land, with people checking their tickets and hearts pounding in anticipation.
But this time around, the results of the drawing are generating questions about the fairness of the game. Reports have emerged that the company behind the lottery, Insee Trading Company, is using its knowledge of which numbers people pick to skew the odds in its favor. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The story begins when a young girl named Nok (Amphaiphun Phimmapunya) is sent from her rural home to live with her haughty cousin Ana (Vilouna Phetmany) in the capital. Despite her initial distrust of the girl, Ana gradually warms up to Nok after the two experience ghostly shadows that appear out of nowhere and chant jumbled numbers. The girl soon starts buying the numbers in the lottery and then, seemingly by magic, keeps winning.
This story has raised suspicions that the company is manipulating the results in its favor, and it is not the first time the lottery’s integrity has come into question. In the 18th century, the lottery became so huge that it ended up funding religious congregations, sparking a struggle between the monarchy and church for control of the business. But Finance Ministry official Vilasack Phommaluck, who is on the steering committee that oversees the lottery, told RFA that some changes have been made to respond to earlier concerns. He said the committee may decide to reduce the number of drawings from three times a week to once a week, for example. Having fewer draws could make it easier to keep track of the results and reduce the likelihood of shenanigans.
In addition, the steering committee has double checked the weight of the balls used in the lottery and will continue to do so to ensure that everything is above board. But these measures will likely not be enough to restore public faith in the lottery. Xia Rattanakone, who grew up in an orphanage and now lives in the United States, is one of the latest to voice her concerns. She won a $55 million jackpot and plans to give some of it back to the people who raised her.
For the rest of us, we can still take comfort in the fact that we can always buy a ticket online or at any number of shops in the country, whether it’s a local chain or the state-owned Insee. But until we know for sure that the numbers are random, there is no way to truly trust the lottery. And without that, the whole thing is just a scam. It’s a shame, because the country really needs its luck to turn in a good direction.
