The lottery, or slaakkinaebng in Thai, is one of only two forms of legal gambling allowed in Thailand. Every month on the 1st and 16th, hordes of Thais tune into TV to watch the government lottery’s grand prizes be drawn, with the winning numbers announced live on national television. The resulting spectacle is a microcosm of the country’s larger culture and economic history. Fate, faith, imagination and superstition envelop lottery culture.
In many ways, the lottery’s mystical aura is a coping mechanism for Thailand’s pervasive poverty. According to the International Gambling Studies Journal, almost two-thirds of those who play the lottery are poor or lower middle class, and many sell their motorcycles in order to purchase tickets. This can place a significant financial burden on families who must now depend on a single source of income.
The lottery’s mystical aura is a way for people to channel their anxieties into something productive and meaningful, Nidhi says. It’s a form of entertainment that can bring happiness and pride to the players. “For the average Thai, the lottery is like a big dream where they can improve their lives,” she says. The mystical elements surrounding lottery play are a clear reflection of the country’s Buddhist beliefs, she adds. Buddhists believe that good deeds will be rewarded with good fortune, and that this is how the universe works.
Although the government lottery has a strict set of rules, there is an entire underground system that circumvents official channels. The underground lottery is not available for sale online, but it’s easier to access than the official lottery and offers smaller prize payouts.
It’s a common sight to see a street vendor carting a brown wooden box full of lotto tickets strapped to a bicycle. These vendors are usually struggling to make a living. The lottery, which is sold in ticket pairs for 80 baht, represents an opportunity to break even or better their circumstances.
The official government lottery (TGL) has a number of anti-counterfeiting features and is only sold in pairs, meaning that each individual ticket allows the holder to potentially win both the grand prize and a secondary prize. Typically, these secondary prizes are worth up to 200,000 baht. The lottery is regulated by the Ministry of Finance.
The lottery is a popular source of revenue in Vietnam, and the number of Vietnamese playing it has increased significantly over the past few years. In 2015, it generated over USD 1.6 billion in revenue, according to the Ministry of Finance. In 2016, the lottery’s total sales surpassed USD 2 billion. It is estimated that the total potential revenue of the lottery in 2020 will be around USD 4.5 billion. The government plans to double the amount of its annual prizes in 2020. It is also considering adding new prize categories.
