Lottery games are legal in Laos for local residents through the state-run Lao Lottery, while most other forms of gambling remain prohibited for Lao citizens under the Lao Penal Law. The government bans most gambling activities for residents to prevent problems and issues gambling might cause to locals, but permits the national lottery as an exception. The state-run lottery operates nationwide and is legally available to citizens (1).
The Ministry of Finance oversees the state lottery enterprise and regulates its operations, dealing with financial aspects including taxation and revenue collection. Lottery draws have been adjusted over the years based on public feedback, reducing from four times weekly to three times weekly to address concerns about gambling addiction. All winning prizes are net and not subject to taxation, with winners required to claim prizes within specific timeframes (1).
"The legal types of gambling are casinos and the Lao Lottery which is state-run and legally available to citizens."
Authorities actively enforce laws against illegal foreign lotteries from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, China and South Korea that are sold unlawfully in Laos. The Economic Police Department has directed law enforcement agencies to strictly deal with individuals and businesses engaged in illegal lotteries, with penalties ranging from warnings and fines to imprisonment for repeat offenders according to Article 141 of the Penal Code (2).
Source:
https://www.igamingtoday.com/gambling-regulations-in-laos-2/
https://legalpilot.com/country/laos/
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
