Simon’s Laos Lottery and Gambling Guide
Laos Lottery and Gambling Guide
Laos, officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. The country shares borders with Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Laos’ population is around 6,8 million citizens. The country’s predominant religion is Buddhism. Its capital and largest city is Vientiane with approximately 800,000 residents. The country’s official language is Lao but French is a recognized national language too. Laos is one of the only remaining socialist states (along with China, Cuba, and Vietnam) openly espousing Communism. Laos is an ethnically diverse country with the Lao people taking up 60% of the population.
Laos’ history begins with the kingdom of Lang Xang, which existed from the 14th century to the 18th century. After the split of the kingdom, Laos became a French protectorate state in 1893. The French united the broken kingdom, creating what is now known as Laos in the process. The country briefly became independent in 1945 after the Japanese occupation but returned to French rule until is was granted autonomy in 1949.
Laos became independent in 1953 as a constitutional monarchy under Sisavag Vong. However, shortly after gaining independence a civil war broke out which resulted in the Communist Pathet Lao movement gaining control in 1975. Therefore, Laos is now a one-party socialist republic ruled by a single party of mostly military generals. The current head of Laos is Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith who got elected in January of 2016. He is, of course, a member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.
Gambling is a little bit complicated in Laos. Gambling is illegal in the country but allowed in Special Economic Zones. These zones are usually leased out by the Laos government to boost foreign trade. There are currently 3 casinos operating in the country offering the most popular games like roulette, poker, and blackjack amongst others. Online gambling is considered illegal too, but players from Laos are welcome to play in multiple offshore online casinos without the risk of getting caught.
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Summary:
- Casino gambling in Laos
- Bingo in Laos
- Poker in Laos
- Sports betting in Laos
- Lottery in Laos
- Bitcoin gambling in Laos
Casino gambling in Laos
Online casino gambling in Laos: illegal
The legal status of gambling is somewhat complicated in Laos. Gambling is illegal in the country, however, there are Special Economic Zones throughout the country where gambling is legal. There are currently 3 land-based casinos operating legally in Laos, however, these casinos are not allowed to accept players from Laos. The casinos offer the most popular games to players. Online gambling is tricky too because it is considered illegal, but players from Laos are accepted in numerous offshore online casinos without the risk of getting caught.
Bingo in Laos
Online bingo in Laos: illegal
Bingo is a quite popular game amongst players around the world, especially in the United States. Gambling is illegal in Laos except in the Special Economic Zones. Therefore, there are some land-based bingo halls scattered throughout the country too. However, players from Laos are not allowed to involve themselves in any form of gambling. The good news is that Lao players are accepted in numerous offshore online casinos where they can enjoy a good bingo game.
Poker in Laos
Online poker in Laos: illegal
Poker is arguably the most popular casino game ever created. The main reasons behind its ever growing popularity are the constant television broadcasts, regularly held world championships, and the game’s competitive nature. Many would argue that poker requires more skill than luck but despite this, it still counts as a form of gambling. Gambling is only legal in the Special Economic Zones of Laos. However, Lao players are not allowed to enter any land-based establishments conducting gambling. Online gambling is illegal too, but players from Laos are accepted to play in numerous offshore online casinos without the risk of getting caught.
Sports betting in Laos
Online sports betting in Laos: illegal
The national sport in Laos is a form of kickbox (similar to Thailand’s muay Thai) called muay Lao. Football getting popular in the country too, but the national team is yet to qualify to any major tournaments. Sports betting is amongst the most popular forms of gambling in the world. Gambling in Laos is illegal for Lao citizens but allowed for foreigners in the Special Economic Zones of the country. Despite it being illegal for Lao citizens, sports betting is still very popular throughout the country. Mainly because players from Laos are accepted to bet at numerous offshore online bookmakers.
Lottery in Laos
Online lottery in Laos: illegal
The lottery is quite possibly the most common form of gambling around the world. It is safe to say that where gambling is legal there is a national lottery. Gambling is considered illegal in Laos, but the country has a national lottery called Lao Lottery. Besides the national lottery, players can enjoy different kinds of lotteries issued by Lao 4D Lottery, which specializes in only 4D games.
Bitcoin gambling in Laos
Bitcoin gambling in Laos: illegal
Bitcoin is a digital currency often referred to as a “cryptocurrency” introduced in 2008. It quickly became popular worldwide as an alternative mean of payment. Bitcoin gambling appeared shortly after the introduction of the currency and continues to gain popularity as more and more online casinos started to specialize in it. Bitcoin is still a relatively new phenomenon so only just a handful of countries issued laws concerning it. Some countries see Bitcoin as an asset rather than a currency (like Norway or Lithuania for example). As of now, there aren’t any specific laws in Laos regulating Bitcoin gambling or Bitcoin in general. Gambling is considered illegal so it can be assumed that Bitcoin gambling is too.
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This page is part of Simon’s List – Legal Status of Online Gambling – a definitive guide to the legal status of all forms of online gambling activities in every country around the world.
Last updated: 2016.01.28.
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