In the tiny, mountainous nation of Laos, the lottery is more than a game of chance. It’s a national tradition that brings people together, offering a spark of hope in a country where jobs can be scarce. Every time the lottery results are announced, it stirs a wave of anticipation as thousands check their tickets with hearts pounding.
But questions are now arising about the integrity of the lottery system, with some players saying that numbers are being blocked or hidden from them in order to improve profits for the company that runs it. Last month, the number 67 disappeared from the ticket when sold at one lottery station in Laos’ capital city of Vientiane. The same happened in September and October. The 67 number is associated with buffalo, a symbol of good fortune in Laos, and many people were hoping to win money by picking that number. But the company denied that any such manipulation was taking place.
Earlier this year, questions about the lottery were raised when the lucky feline number 509 suddenly vanished from the tickets at some lottery stations. The company that runs the lottery, Insee Trading Co., knows which numbers people choose to play and can manipulate the drawing by blocking certain numbers or removing them from their sales lists, a lottery employee told RFA in an interview.
While the government says that it will work to fix the problem, some say that private business interests shouldn’t be allowed to control the state lottery. “I believe that if the companies responsible for running the lottery are controlled by people who have connections to the ruling elite, then the entire lottery process is not fair,” said a former minister of justice, who requested anonymity.
In the meantime, the office of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith sent a directive on Aug. 17 to the Ministry of Finance, which oversees the legal state lottery, asking the ministry to reduce drawings from two to one a week and handle winnings in a more transparent manner. It also ordered the ministry to close down informal football lotteries and lottery chances purchased through mobile phone services.
A steering committee that oversees the lottery has been formed, with Vilasack Phommaluck, a ministry official who is on the panel, telling RFA that some changes had already been made to address some of the concerns raised by citizens. He added that the ministry might cut back to one drawing a week in the future. But he added that the committee doesn’t get involved with what happens within the lottery company or its agencies. That leaves it up to the company and its agencies to ensure that lottery games are played fairly, he said.
