For the people of the small landlocked nation of Laos, lottery is more than a game. It is a national tradition, a source of hope and a thread that binds the community together. Each month, when the results of the national lottery are announced, thousands of people check their tickets with hearts pounding, hoping to be one of the lucky winners. For many, the winning numbers are more than sequences of letters and numbers; they represent a chance to change their lives and to bring about a better future for their families and communities.
The lottery was introduced in France by King Louis XIV in the 17th century as a way to fund religious congregations. It quickly became one of the largest sources of income for churches and other religious organizations. In the 18th century, lotteries became a major means of raising money to build and rebuild churches, including St Sulpice and Le Pantheon. The money was also used to help the poor and needy. It became a controversial resource, with the king and the church fighting over control of the profits.
In Laos, the lottery is not a private company but a state enterprise run by the Ministry of Finance. It is not as popular as its Thai counterpart but still attracts large crowds, especially in the capital city of Vientiane. Typically, the tickets are sold by members of the family of the country’s leaders and the prizes are much larger than in Thailand.
Several complaints have been leveled against the national lottery by players and observers. These include claims that the balls used for the lottery are heavy and will cause bad luck. Others have claimed that lottery officials manipulate the results to avoid large payouts.
In a move to address these concerns, the office of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith sent a directive on Aug. 17 urging the Ministry of Finance to work with the Ministry of Public Security to ensure that the lottery is conducted in a fair and transparent manner. In particular, it ordered that the number of draws per week be reduced from two to one and that informal football lotteries and lottery chances purchased via short messaging services be shut down.
Despite the ongoing controversy, the lottery continues to grow in popularity in Laos and its citizens are still eager to purchase tickets to see if they will be the next big winner. Using the app MCOT, which is available on the Play Store, people can access a variety of lottery related information and services including past lottery results and ticket sales. The app aims to provide a convenient and cost-effective means of accessing lottery related content to the general public. It also demonstrates the government’s commitment to promote and protect the interests of lottery players in the country. Currently, the app has been downloaded more than 40 times and is rated 4.92 out of 5 by its users.
