Thai government tests new lottery system with tickets as low as 20 baht

The Government Lottery Office (GLO) plans to experiment with the sale of three-digit and two-digit lotteries within a sandbox system mid-year this year.

The test will involve one million numbers, both direct and permutation, to combat underground lottery operations. The cost per ticket is expected to range between 20 to 50 baht.

The director of GLO revealed that the initial trial would assess the suitability of the number of players and their risk-taking behaviour. The experiment will involve actual sales and payouts to ensure system stability and maximum buyer satisfaction. The results will then be presented to the lottery committee for approval.

The prize distribution will remain as approved by the Cabinet, in the form of a lottery contribution. Buyers could stand a chance to win four types of prizes: direct three-digit prizes, permuted three-digit prizes, direct two-digit prizes, and special prizes. The prize money would be allocated from 60% of the sales in each round.

The GLO is in the process of determining the sale price of the N3 lottery, expected to fall between 20 and 50 baht per ticket. The price should not be too low or too high and must not exceed 80 baht to avoid overlapping with the six-digit government lottery (L6) in both paper and digital form.

As for the distribution format, it is expected to go through the Pao Tang application. The GLO is still deliberating whether to open the sales to dealers in the form of automated service machines (Kiosk) or through hand-held devices. This will be decided based on the balance between the buyer and seller and any potential obstacles.

Sales considerations

The GLO is also considering whether to open sales to agents. The first group considered would be those who have already signed a contract to sell the L6 digital lottery. The GLO has previously given the opportunity for agents in the buy-reserve system, who receive three books per round, to switch to a digital lottery contract of five books per round. This group is ready to be considered for N3 lottery sales as the distribution methods are similar.

Regarding the prize draw, it will initially be held twice a month. However, the GLO is considering whether to use the same drawing equipment as the L6 or to use new sets. The N3 will also have additional benefits for non-civil servant buyers and non-section 33 members who will have a portion of their purchase contributed to the National Saving Fund (NSF) for savings, reported KhaoSod.

The N3 lottery is an alternative aimed at solving the problem of overpriced lottery tickets. From past experiences, L6 paper tickets were found to have issues with price inflation for popular numbers to compensate for unpopular ones that were hard to sell. The N3 lottery will be a new option for those who want to make a permanent career in selling lotteries, with the advantage of not needing capital to buy tickets for resale. The GLO is considering opening sales to everyone, such as 1,000 numbers per round.

In addition to the L6 and N3, a working group is studying a third new product format expected to be finalised within the year. This product will address the current lottery buyers who buy lotteries through various websites, hoping to win prizes from neighbouring and global lotteries. The new product will aim to attract these buyers back into the system.