Ministry of Finance worries about winning Vietlott but not getting paid because of online purchase

Citing legal regulations, the Ministry of Finance affirmed: Current laws do not allow the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet and the “purchase of lottery tickets on behalf of others”. The fact that some organizations and individuals conduct lottery business over the Internet is against the law because these units are not licensed to do lottery business, and the method of distributing tickets is not in accordance with regulations.

According to this agency, buying traditional domestic lottery tickets and electronic lottery tickets via the Internet causes difficulties in the management and operation of the lottery market by the management agency. Taking advantage of the name of buying lottery tickets, these organizations may organize for players to participate in the lottery directly to seek profits, causing losses to the State budget due to not having to pay taxes, costs of printing tickets, organizing lottery draws, etc. (similar to lottery numbers, taking advantage of lottery results for illegal business). These activities pose many risks of disrupting social order and safety.

Players may have their prize money confiscated or be forced to share the prize because the ticket is held by the person who bought it for them.

In addition, the Ministry of Finance said: There are many potential risks for players; players can have their money in their prize account seized, and be forced to share the prize (because the ticket is kept by the person who bought it on their behalf).

“The rights of lottery winners are not guaranteed,” the Ministry of Finance noted.

This, according to the Ministry of Finance, affects the lottery business environment, affects the publicity and transparency in lottery business activities of enterprises. At the same time, it affects the reputation and loss of trust of players in the business activities of state-owned lottery companies in cases where the party purchasing lottery tickets does not pay the prize but appropriates the winning amount of the winning customer.

“In the case of buying a Vietlott ticket on behalf of someone else and the ticket wins a big Jackpot, there is a possibility that the ticket will not be returned to the winner because the website/application has disappeared while taking a photo of the ticket to confirm is not proof of ownership, affecting Vietlott's reputation. In addition, receiving the prize on behalf of someone else is also related to the risks of money laundering, terrorist financing, and financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” the Ministry of Finance warned.

The Ministry of Finance said that ministries, branches and People's Committees of provinces and cities are coordinating to review and inspect to correct acts of deliberately violating the provisions of the law. This is a measure of state management agencies to ensure that lottery business activities comply with the provisions of the law, ensuring social order and safety.

Previously, the press raised some opinions against the “ban on online lottery ticket sales” when the Southern Lottery Council expressed support for the plan to ban online lottery ticket sales. The Ministry of Finance also issued a warning that online lottery ticket sales are illegal.

However, according to Dr. Tran Khac Tam, former National Assembly delegate (Soc Trang province): The ban on agents and street lottery vendors from selling tickets online is completely unreasonable. The purchase and sale of lottery tickets is agreed upon by both parties, and if there is a dispute or lawsuit, it will be handled according to civil law.

“In this era of technological development, selling a kilo of guava, a cup of milk tea, a bowl of noodles… can all be done online. We have to adapt to the general development trend, find effective ways to manage, not ban anything that cannot be managed. Regulations that are no longer suitable should be boldly amended,” Mr. Tam suggested.

According to Vietnamnet

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