Thailand's Government Lottery Office reduced the number of lottery books a person may buy or reserve from five to three, under new rules that took effect with the draw of 1 April 20231. The change was approved by the lottery board as one of four measures to expand digital lottery sales through the Paotang application1.
The board agreed to raise digital lottery volume through Paotang to 30 million tickets in 2023, then to 40 million in 2024 and 50 million in 2025, which would put 50 million paper tickets and 50 million digital tickets in the system1. The office expected the number of buyers to rise from 1.8 million to 2 to 3 million1.
The four approaches listed were cutting rights in the reservation and purchase system, action against sales above the set price, action against wholesale supply to private platforms, and voluntary participation1. The office said the reduced entitlement would leave enough tickets for people trying to buy or reserve1.
"สำนักงานจะกำหนดกติกาใหม่ตั้งแต่งวดวันที่ 1 เมษายน 2566 ผู้ที่มีสิทธิ์ซื้อ-จองจะลดจำนวนลงจาก 5 เล่มเหลือ 3 เล่ม"
Lavaron Sangsnit, director-general of the Revenue Department and chairman of the Government Lottery Board, said the Paotang system verifies identity and cannot sell to anyone under 201. Winners are notified, and buyers may collect prizes themselves or receive transfers through g-wallet to any bank account, with a 1 percent fee, the same as for paper tickets1. First prize must be claimed in person1. He said an automatic system letting buyers choose in advance how they receive winnings was expected within one month1. Digital tickets generate a receipt showing the buyer's name and address and a purchase history from the first draw onward1.
A six-digit lottery format, known as L6, was still with the Ministry of Finance for consideration1. Quota groups holding contracts that end in December 2023 were to be moved gradually into the digital system1.
What it means for players
The cap applies to the reservation and purchase system, so anyone who previously held rights to five books now holds rights to three1. That reduces the volume a single buyer can take before a draw, which the office linked to leaving supply for other buyers1. Digital tickets sold through Paotang require identity verification and cannot be sold to anyone under 201. Prizes can be collected in person or transferred to a bank account for a 1 percent fee, while first prize must be collected in person1. Digital purchases leave a receipt with the buyer's name, address and purchase history1. Thailand's rules on who may play and where gambling is permitted are set out in the Thailand guide, and the wider regional picture is covered in lotteries in Asia.
What happens next
The office planned to raise digital volume to 40 million tickets in 2024 and 50 million in 20251. An automatic system for choosing how to receive winnings was expected within one month of the 20 January 2023 announcement1. The L6 six-digit format remained under consideration at the Ministry of Finance, and no decision has been reported1. Quota holders' contracts end in December 2023, with their transfer into the digital system assigned to the lottery allocation committee1.
