N3 lottery is a pilot project launched by Thailand to combat the rampant underground lottery market, currently in the pilot phase and under strict scrutiny.
This experiment is conducted within a sandbox system and has completed two rounds of sales. However, the low prize amounts and the lack of features such as credit purchasing common in underground lotteries hinder its appeal.
Minister Julapun emphasized that the main goal of the N3 lottery is to curb illegal gambling, not to generate revenue.
Nevertheless, the success of this lottery depends on its ability to attract buyers and compete with the underground lottery, which has an estimated annual sales volume of 1000-3000 billion Thai Baht (approximately 28.9 billion to 86.7 billion USD).
It is worth noting: The pilot phase of the N3 lottery has raised questions about whether it can effectively capture a share of the underground market without significant adjustments to its product.
The government plans to extend the trial period by another two to three months to better assess its popularity, challenges, and potential as a sustainable alternative to underground gambling.
Julapun also instructed the Government Lottery Office to monitor whether the N3 lottery begins to compete with Thailand's six-digit lottery (L6) in both paper and digital forms, as this may necessitate a reassessment of the project's feasibility.
Complicating matters further, the demand for L6 digital lottery tickets has declined recently, with nearly one million tickets unsold during the draw period on November 16.
However, Julapun attributes this to temporary factors, including seasonal consumption during the Water Lantern Festival and recent financial pressures caused by flooding.
