“Almost all lottery players get addicted,” claims Vannak, a staff member at NagaWorld casino. In her 20s, she told Lift, “I have played all kinds of games including the stub lottery,” before adding that “over the past four months I’ve spent about 300,000 riel [$75].”

Although the Cambodian government banned gambling activities like football betting, game machines and stub lotteries in 2008, a small group of lottery lovers still secretly place a bet with their anonymous lottery collectors in a hope of a jackpot.

Although new to gambling and not addicted herself, Vannak has witnessed lottery dependency and understands how addicts feel, especially the moment the results are announced.

“I have seen many cases of lottery addiction including my neighbours,” she said, commenting that they often look stressed and quiet, expressing her concern that they may be “emotionally ill ”.

According to Vannak, a neighbour has been a lottery addict for years, spending up to a million riel a day on the lottery. Vannak said her neighbours use all kinds of ways to try to pick winning numbers, using their dreams, imagination and previous lottery receipts.

Concerned for her neighbour’s and other lottery addict’s money and future, Vannak wants to know “how to completely stop playing the lottery?”

Seng Litor