Thai Government plans digital shift for lottery sales

[webfact]

The Government Lottery Office (GLO), under the umbrella of the Finance Ministry, unveiled plans to transition from traditional lottery stalls to digital ones. Lavaron Sangsnit, the permanent finance secretary and chairman of the GLO board, revealed this strategy, which will be initiated from next month.

 

The GLO has been selling digital lottery tickets through the Pao Tang app since 2022 as a part of an effort to combat the issue of ticket sales exceeding the standard price of 80 baht each. The intention is to allow small vendors to sell digital lottery tickets using iPads or mobile devices in the future.

 

Just as with physical lottery tickets, buyers will retain the ability to select their preferred numbers. At this time, the office offers both digital and physical lottery tickets.

 

Approximately 80 million tickets are sold via general vendors, with an additional 22 million sold through the Pao Tang app, culminating in a total of 102 million tickets. The GLO has plans to slowly elevate the number of digital lottery tickets sold, to minimise the impact on street vendors who predominantly sell physical tickets.

 

by Alex Morgan

Photo taken from Bangkok Post

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-13

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[TroubleandGrumpy]

What could possibly go wrong? 

I wonder why I am always saying this to myself in Thailand.

Thailand - the hub of 'annoucements'.

 

[oxo1947]

It seems to provide a lot of (small) income for old / disabled people--- some of them are out walking around with their boards for 10-14 hours, in the heat.

& its always been part of the Thailand local scene.

 

Anyway in Issan seems to be so many other people using the illegal 2--3 number ones that pay 500% more then the Goverment one.

[IAMHERE]

102 million tickets per drawing?  That seems a lot of money being made by the lottery to me. Does that money go into some special account? 

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

102 million tickets per drawing?  That seems a lot of money being made by the lottery to me. Does that money go into some special account? 

Absolutely, all above board and fully transparent.

[cracker1]

Digital ticket sales to foreigners are unavailable and of course prize winnings are not permitted to be paid to foreigners, from KTB.

It is hard to understand why we would be excluded, other than a level of jealousness if a foreigner one a big one.

[khunjeff]

They have been announcing a transition to digital lottery sales since Thaksin was PM, so I won't hold my breath.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

14 minutes ago, cracker1 said:

Digital ticket sales to foreigners are unavailable and of course prize winnings are not permitted to be paid to foreigners, from KTB.

It is hard to understand why we would be excluded, other than a level of jealousness if a foreigner one a big one.

 

At any given time, the majority of foreigners in Thailand are tourists who won't have tax ID numbers or bank accounts, so I suppose it might be to avoid issues with this if a tourist were to win. Easier to ban sales to all foreigners than to check to see if they are resident with tax ID and bank account. Perhaps the same issue would arise with printed tickets, but much more difficult to administer. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

 

In a similar vein, I bought a lottery ticket in the US some years back and read the small print on the ticket. It stated that sales were only permitted to residents of the state where I bought it. Not too different, I guess.

[GreasyFingers]

6 hours ago, oxo1947 said:

Anyway in Issan seems to be so many other people using the illegal 2--3 number ones that pay 500% more then the Goverment one.

I have not looked at this for quite a while but the illegal lottery only paid 50-60% of the actual odds of winning. Are you saying the Gov ones only pay 5-10% of the odds.

[PETERTHEEATER]

My response to a digital lottery....🖕

[oxo1947]

46 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

I have not looked at this for quite a while but the illegal lottery only paid 50-60% of the actual odds of winning. Are you saying the Gov ones only pay 5-10% of the odds.

The illegal Lottery, is mainly centered around the last 2 numbers..... The Gov lottery pays 2,000 Bt  for that win--- the illegal lottery pay 10,000Bt... still working on 99-1 odds

100 combinations  from 00 to 99

Saying that-- The Gov odds for winning the (now up to 6 million) have very very much lower odds then the western Lottery ---but they never seem to have a roll over, does that mean its always won ?

 

 

.

Edited January 13 by oxo1947

[GreasyFingers]

28 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

The illegal Lottery, is mainly centered around the last 2 numbers..... The Gov lottery pays 2,000 Bt  for that win--- the illegal lottery pay 10,000Bt... still working on 99-1 odds

100 combinations  from 00 to 99

Saying that-- The Gov odds for winning the (now up to 6 million) have very very much lower odds then the western Lottery ---but they never seem to have a roll over, does that mean its always won ?

 

 

.

You should be buying them at those odds every lottery. Excuse the directness but I do not believe that they pay at 99-1. never seen it anywhere. Is you wife a collector for the illegal lottery.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, cracker1 said:

Digital ticket sales to foreigners are unavailable and of course prize winnings are not permitted to be paid to foreigners, from KTB.

It is hard to understand why we would be excluded, other than a level of jealousness if a foreigner one a big one.

Where did you get that nonsense from?

 

https://www.expatbets.com/thailand/national-lottery-guide/

[BenStark]

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

They have been announcing a transition to digital lottery sales since Thaksin was PM, so I won't hold my breath.

 

But then he was ousted, and now he's back, so you can breath freely in and out now

[BenStark]

2 hours ago, cracker1 said:

Digital ticket sales to foreigners are unavailable and of course prize winnings are not permitted to be paid to foreigners, from KTB.

 

It's like the withholding tax refunds. I asked if they could put there fund in my KTB account.

 

Can not sir because you are foreigner.

 

Next I receive a cheque, which I only can collect by deposit it in my KTB account

[oxo1947]

41 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

You should be buying them at those odds every lottery. Excuse the directness but I do not believe that they pay at 99-1. never seen it anywhere. Is you wife a collector for the illegal lottery.

No, I think you misunderstand GF....they dont pay at 99-1 that is what the odds are to win----(I thought I put it clearly) pick the last 2 numbers on the Gov Lottery---your odds of doing that are 99-1

Gov pay 2,000Bt if you do that -- are you living in Thailand ?...... because you do not seem to know what is widely used --- If you do live here , go buy a Bar girl a drink--she will explain it to you.

They are some of the biggest customers

Or--Please read it again.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

2 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

 

At any given time, the majority of foreigners in Thailand are tourists who won't have tax ID numbers or bank accounts, so I suppose it might be to avoid issues with this if a tourist were to win. Easier to ban sales to all foreigners than to check to see if they are resident with tax ID and bank account. Perhaps the same issue would arise with printed tickets, but much more difficult to administer. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

 

In a similar vein, I bought a lottery ticket in the US some years back and read the small print on the ticket. It stated that sales were only permitted to residents of the state where I bought it. Not too different, I guess.

Actually, in most western countries you can be a resident in a country/state if you live there long term. But to be a formal 'resident' in Thailand is extremely difficult - huge application process, expensive and takes years.  Technically all Expats in Thaiand that are on long-term non-immigrant Visas are actually here as a Tourist visa - they are all variations of the same basic Tourist Visa. Except for the LTR Visa recently implemented. 

PS - if I do ever win, the Thai wife will be able to receive it, but not me.

[GreasyFingers]

36 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

No, I think you misunderstand GF....they dont pay at 99-1 that is what the odds are to win----(I thought I put it clearly) pick the last 2 numbers on the Gov Lottery---your odds of doing that are 99-1

Gov pay 2,000Bt if you do that -- are you living in Thailand ?...... because you do not seem to know what is widely used --- If you do live here , go buy a Bar girl a drink--she will explain it to you.

They are some of the biggest customers

Or--Please read it again.

You have changed your tune. You said the illegal lottery paid 10000 for a 80 baht investment (the government lottery price that gives you many chances, not just the 2 numbers), i.e. 125 to1 for a 100 to1 chance.

You obviously have your numbers wrong, that is why the bookies pay only 50-60 to 1 for a 100 to 1 chance. They have to make money but no serious punter would take that return.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

26 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Actually, in most western countries you can be a resident in a country/state if you live there long term. But to be a formal 'resident' in Thailand is extremely difficult - huge application process, expensive and takes years.  Technically all Expats in Thaiand that are on long-term non-immigrant Visas are actually here as a Tourist visa - they are all variations of the same basic Tourist Visa. Except for the LTR Visa recently implemented. 

PS - if I do ever win, the Thai wife will be able to receive it, but not me.

 

I have permanent residency, so I'm familiar with the process, although I received it about 25 years ago when it was slightly easier than it is now and wasn't as expensive. I think I spent less than 50,000 baht all in. Technically, I'm an immigrant (and resident) and not a tourist, but not being able to buy lottery tickets online does not bother me.

 

And to correct an error on my part, the residency requirement on the lottery ticket I bought in the US years ago wasn't state residency, it was US residency. 

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

102 million tickets per drawing?  That seems a lot of money being made by the lottery to me. Does that money go into some special account? 

GLO sells the tickets to distributors and vendors so the treasury collects the proceeds and retains 20%.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, cracker1 said:

of course prize winnings are not permitted to be paid to foreigners, from KTB.

It is hard to understand why we would be excluded

Your choice of position of that comma makes your comment unclear.  Foreigners can claim GLO prizes from all the usual places, just not from KTB.  Foreigners are not excluded from the prizes.

Edited January 13 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, khunjeff said:

They have been announcing a transition to digital lottery sales since Thaksin was PM, so I won't hold my breath.

They've been doing it for some time now.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

At any given time, the majority of foreigners in Thailand are tourists who won't have tax ID numbers or bank accounts, so I suppose it might be to avoid issues with this if a tourist were to win. Easier to ban sales to all foreigners than to check to see if they are resident with tax ID and bank account. Perhaps the same issue would arise with printed tickets, but much more difficult to administer. Of course this is just speculation on my part.

Sales are not banned to foreigners.

Tax ID numbers are not a requirement to buy tickets or to claim winnings.

Bank accounts are not needed for winnings except for the largest prizes.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, oxo1947 said:

The Gov odds for winning the (now up to 6 million) have very very much lower odds then the western Lottery

It's the other way around, the Thai lottery has better odds of winning than most western lotteries. 

"Assoc. Prof. Wararit, an assistant to the dean and lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Technology, pointed out that the likelihood of winning the first prize is even more remote, with a one-in-a-million chance, according to the study". 

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/mathematician-criticizes-government-lottery-odds

Edited January 13 by Liverpool Lou

[oxo1947]

57 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

You have changed your tune. You said the illegal lottery paid 10000 for a 80 baht investment (the government lottery price that gives you many chances, not just the 2 numbers), i.e. 125 to1 for a 100 to1 chance.

You obviously have your numbers wrong, that is why the bookies pay only 50-60 to 1 for a 100 to 1 chance. They have to make money but no serious punter would take that return.

Oh for havens sake--GF, you do not live here do you... Yes they pay is 10,000 Bt for the Gov last 2 numbers, that is 500% more then what the Gov give (2,000 Bt) ---however with the Gov ticket you get a chance for the other wins,

The big one of course the just missed either side and some others ----I dont know anywhere in Thailand that sells tickets for 80 Bt , You would know that if you lived here---That's what this article is about. the 2 numbers are 100 Bt the full Gov ticket is 100 Bt

 

It seems so simple -- what are you writing about the bookies pay 50-60 for 1 one what---there is no one number......

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

PS - if I do ever win, the Thai wife will be able to receive it, but not me.

Don't you believe her, you can claim any winnings, you don't have to be Thai or a resident.

[oxo1947]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It's the other way around, the Thai lottery has better odds of winning than most western lotteries. 

 

Yer Lou, that is what I said----Lower Odds are better---- High odds are less chance---Thailand Lottery is ,1,000,000--1  of winning first --- The UK  are way higher Odds, but better then most western countries

 

TERRITORY	GAME	JACKPOT CHANCES
UK	National Lottery	1 / 45,057,474
Australia	Powerball	1 / 134,490,400
Europe	EuroMillions	1 / 139,868,160
USA	Powerball	1 / 292,201,338

8 more rows

Edited January 13 by oxo1947

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

29 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Sales are not banned to foreigners.

Tax ID numbers are not a requirement to buy tickets or to claim winnings.

Bank accounts are not needed for winnings except for the largest prizes.

 

The post that I was responding to stated that foreigners were not allowed to purchase online lottery tickets and I was speculating as to the possible reasons. 

 

Are foreigners allowed to purchase online tickets? Or is the post to which I was responding incorrect?

[herfiehandbag]

17 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

102 million tickets per drawing?  That seems a lot of money being made by the lottery to me. Does that money go into some special account? 

Several. 

 

And the account holders are jolly determined to ensure that it continues to do so!

 

I understand that the police force has some involvement - makes a break from fighting crime I suppose.

[actonion]

But gambling is illegal in Thailand they tell us