The lottery is more than just a game of numbers, it is a national tradition and a symbol of hope for those who play. Thousands of people across the country watch their numbers come up in the announcements and dream of fortuitous gains that can help them bolster their families’ income or realize a lifelong goal. For some, the winnings are simply a chance to spend a little extra money and for others they are a glimmer of opportunity in a nation that can be tough on the wallet.
Lottery officials in Laos are rigging the system to avoid large pay-outs and manipulate winning numbers, sources in the Southeast Asian nation tell RFA’s Lao Service. Often when a number is associated with a certain animal, such as the cat number Felis catus, it vanishes from purchased tickets before a drawing. For example, the number 09 disappeared from all tickets sold throughout the day of a recent lottery drawing before reappearing as a 5 in the results.
Other complaints have been raised about the way in which lottery winners are selected and reported. A source close to the finance ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity told RFA that companies responsible for running the lottery in the country have business interests with members of the ruling elite and this makes them more likely to favor some winners over others.
Vilasack Phommaluck, an official who sits on a committee that oversees the lottery, dismissed the allegations as baseless and said some changes have been made in response to earlier questions about the fairness of the system. He said that some of the issues were resolved by increasing transparency in the lottery’s operations, including putting the results on television more frequently.
To download the app, search for “Laos Lottery” in your Android device’s Google Play store. Once the listing appears, tap on the install button and a pop-up window asking for permissions will appear. Once you agree to the terms of use, the app will be downloaded and installed. Once it’s complete, the app will display a progress bar and notify you when the download is complete. Once the app is installed, you can begin to check lottery results in your local area or anywhere else in the world. You can also view the latest winner information and locate lottery claim centers. The app’s developer, New Concept Consulting, says the app is designed to serve lottery customers in Laos and offers a variety of features that allow users to check results quickly and easily. It has been downloaded over 40 times in the last 30 days and is rated 4.92 out of 5 stars. This application is free to download and use.
