Lottery-Vending Machines Opposed: Thailand

[webfact]

LOTTERY

Lottery-vending machines opposed

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A recent survey shows that most students and teachers are against the government's plan to launch lottery-vending machines, saying that they would only encourage gambling.

Conducted by the Family Network Foundation and Assumption University, the survey covered 1,042 students, all under the age of 21, and 884 teachers between the ages of 30 and 59. The findings were disclosed at a seminar yesterday.

The Cabinet has already approved a plan to sell two- and three-digit lotteries via vending machines from January 1 next year.

According to the survey, a third of the students and about half of the teachers said the plan was mired with hidden self-interest. About 72.8 per cent of the teachers said lottery-vending machines would not help eradicate the underground lottery.

"Also, 66.4 per cent of the teachers said children would definitely spend money on the lottery machines once they are launched," the network's manager Tanitcha Limpanich said.

According to the survey, 25.3 per cent of students admitted that they would buy lotteries from the vending machines.

Tanitcha added that easy access to lotteries would also push gamblers deeper into the obsession of winning big prizes.

Supapak Pongnoi, a teacher from Kunnatee Wittayakom School, said youngsters might first consider the vending machines as toys and end up becoming addicted to gambling.

"Don't forget that they are still young and cannot tell the difference between right and wrong," she said.

Meanwhile, Nattakij Jitsriphan from Nonthaburi Youth Council said the government should introduce measures to prevent children from having access to the vending machines.

Wallop Tangkananurak, secretary-general of the Foundation for the Better Life of Children, said the Government Lottery Office was duty bound to introduce measures that would curtail the adverse impacts of the lottery-vending machines. "These machines should not sell tickets to anyone below the age of 18," he said, adding that he agreed with the suggestion that these machines should be at least 50 metres away from educational institutes.

-- The Nation 2012-10-18

[asiawatcher]

Given the Asian penchant for gambling I thing this is insane especially if the kids have access to them. And this quote...

"... Wallop Tangkananurak, secretary-general of the Foundation for the Better Life of Children, said the Government Lottery Office was duty bound to introduce measures that would curtail the adverse impacts of the lottery-vending machines. "These machines should not sell tickets to anyone below the age of 18," he said, adding that he agreed with the suggestion that these machines should be at least 50 metres away from educational institutes."

What a moronic statement and suggestion.

1. How will a machine verify age? By asking them to make a declaration they are over the age of 18?

2. 50 metres away from schools? What - the kids don't have legs?

How do these people get their positions? ... stupid question I know...

[canopus1969]

"Don't forget that they are still young and cannot tell the difference between right and wrong," she said.

- a - and this continues to old age as far as politicians are concerned.

[canopus1969]

"Don't forget that they are still young and cannot tell the difference between right and wrong," she said.

- and this continues to old age as far as politicians are concerned.

[madmitch]

Why in Thailand do students always seem to support the moral high-ground? Where's the rebellious nature you get from students in other countries?

I really don't understand the attractiveness of the Thai lottery. Most Thais seem to just be interested in the two digits at the end. Pay 100 baht to win 1000 baht. 9-1 when the real odds are 99-1. I know there are plenty of six digit prizes as well but they seem secondary, despite the bigger money involved.

If they changed to a UK type system with big multi-million prizes then this could wipe out the underground lotteries as they couldn't compete. But it would also be seen as encouraging gambling. Then we are back to square one.

[Rionoir]

I know a lot of people who have claimed to have "won the lottery" in Thailand... yet they still seem no better off than before they won. I'm convinced you could have a lottery where the prize was winning your entry fee back and people here would still buy a ticket.

[bigbamboo]

Selling lottery tickets is one of the few ways disabled Thais can make a living and this would reduce their opportunities to do so. It will also encourage gambling and aren't Buddhists suppose to refrain from that?

[imthemanhere]

Given the Asian penchant for gambling I thing this is insane especially if the kids have access to them. And this quote...

"... Wallop Tangkananurak, secretary-general of the Foundation for the Better Life of Children, said the Government Lottery Office was duty bound to introduce measures that would curtail the adverse impacts of the lottery-vending machines. "These machines should not sell tickets to anyone below the age of 18," he said, adding that he agreed with the suggestion that these machines should be at least 50 metres away from educational institutes."

What a moronic statement and suggestion.

1. How will a machine verify age? By asking them to make a declaration they are over the age of 18?

2. 50 metres away from schools? What - the kids don't have legs?

How do these people get their positions? ... stupid question I know...

To get a thai kid to walk 50 metres might actually be much harder than to develop the age verification technology for the vending machines...

[belg]

let the vending machine ask a simple question as verification to check the age

mhhhhhhhh well, i guess most of thais will not be able to buy tickets anymore

but seriously.... make a few big casino's in the well know parts of the country.. government, make ex police the security, as they already involved in the underground ones anyway

and let them put many cctv camera's and TAX the hell out of it

[MunterHunter]

Why in Thailand do students always seem to support the moral high-ground? Where's the rebellious nature you get from students in other countries?

In Thailand, taking the moral high-ground *IS* being rebellious... when they have Politicians as role-models!

[loong]

I wonder if these tickets will be available at face value.

I wouldn't think that the current lottery sellers would be pleased about this as they all seem to sell an 80 Bt ticket for 100 Bt.

[Chupup]

Selling lottery tickets is one of the few ways disabled Thais can make a living and this would reduce their opportunities to do so. It will also encourage gambling and aren't Buddhists suppose to refrain from that?

The lottery tickets should be sold at 80 bht 40 x 2 and not at 100/110 bht which is what the sellers are charging, i would agree with you if they sold at the correct price but the sellers are just ripping of the public.

[bkk_mike]

Why in Thailand do students always seem to support the moral high-ground? Where's the rebellious nature you get from students in other countries?

I really don't understand the attractiveness of the Thai lottery. Most Thais seem to just be interested in the two digits at the end. Pay 100 baht to win 1000 baht. 9-1 when the real odds are 99-1. I know there are plenty of six digit prizes as well but they seem secondary, despite the bigger money involved.

If they changed to a UK type system with big multi-million prizes then this could wipe out the underground lotteries as they couldn't compete. But it would also be seen as encouraging gambling. Then we are back to square one.

If you buy a lottery ticket for 100 baht, it's actually 2 tickets, so if you win on the 2 digits on the end, you get back 2000 baht. (which is a lot better payout than the £10 you get in the UK for having 3 numbers in the UK lottery, and is lower odds).

Add in that you can still win on the 3-number or 6-number prizes, and it makes a little more sense that it only pays out 19-1.

The 2 or 3 digit lotteries, if done solely for 2 or 3 digits, pay out better odds than on the lottery tickets as you're not also paying for a chance to win the higher prizes). But at the moment, doing only the 2 or 3 digit is only possible illegally, and because they pay better odds, and most people only really try for the 2-digit or 3-digit numbers, that's the market that the illegal lottery touts have opened up for themselves..

I'd assume that the payout from the machines on 2-digit lotteries would be closer to the mathematical odds than is paid out on normal tickets (i.e. they'll either pay out more for a 100 baht, 2-digit only ticket, or they'll pay out 1,000 baht per ticket, but the tickets will be cheaper - i.e. 20 baht), and if they did that, then there's a good chance of clearing out the illegal lottery sellers as they'll have to compete with the machines on odds to keep their customers.

[bkk_mike]

Addition:

In order to stop kids playing - it's simple... - don't let kids collect the prizes, or is the intention that the machines will have enough cash in them to pay out, in which case I can see the type of people that steal ATMs coming after these.

[khaowong1]

Selling lottery tickets is one of the few ways disabled Thais can make a living and this would reduce their opportunities to do so. It will also encourage gambling and aren't Buddhists suppose to refrain from that?

I could possibly be wrong, but I have never read anything about the Buddha speaking out agains't gambling. He talks about spending money foolishly and not being able to support your family, so you could probably include gambling in this if your so inclined.