How the Lottery Promotes Gambling

The casting of lots to distribute property or determine other fates has a long record in human history—as early as biblical times, although the practice of lotteries for material gain is much more recent. In modern times, state lotteries are a major form of gambling. They attract wide public support, and specific constituencies include convenience store operators (as a result of lottery marketing campaigns); suppliers of products used in the games such as scratch tickets; teachers (in states where part of the proceeds are earmarked for education); and state legislators who quickly become accustomed to the steady stream of additional revenues.

While critics of the lottery focus on its problems with compulsive gamblers and its regressive effect on lower income groups, there are also broader questions about how the lottery promotes gambling and the way it manipulates people’s perceptions of its benefits. For example, the prevailing message that lotteries send out is that it’s okay to play because the money goes to good causes and helps the poor.

This message obscures the fact that, on average, lottery players come from middle-income neighborhoods, and play is less common in high-income or low-income communities. Moreover, the prevailing message that lotteries are for charity is masking the fact that state lotteries are a commercial enterprise that aims to maximize profits. As a result, they depend on heavy advertising to persuade people to spend their hard-earned dollars on tickets. This strategy runs at cross-purposes with the broader public interest.