In a lottery, participants pay a small sum of money and hope to win a prize. The prizes can be anything from cash to goods and services. The history of lotteries goes back to ancient times. The Bible records the Lord instructing Moses to divide property by lottery, and Roman emperors held lotteries during Saturnalian feasts in order to give away slaves and other valuables. Lotteries became a popular method of raising funds in the early modern period, with many cities and towns holding them to support public works projects and aid the poor. By the 17th century, public lotteries were common in England and the American colonies. Benjamin Franklin even sponsored a lottery in 1776 to raise funds for cannons to defend Philadelphia against the British. Private lotteries were also popular. These were conducted by licensed promoters, and the prizes often included merchandise or land.
In the 19th century, state governments began to hold regular lotteries to generate revenue for a variety of purposes. They promoted the idea that a lottery was a “painless” source of revenue, with players voluntarily spending their money for the benefit of the public good. This arrangement was intended to supplement taxes and provide needed revenue without imposing burdensome new taxes on the working class.
By the 21st century, however, it became clear that promoting gambling was at odds with states’ larger social responsibilities. While it is true that the majority of lottery revenues are spent on public services, the lottery dangles the prospect of instant wealth in front of a population with high levels of poverty and limited mobility. And although most people play for the fun of it, a small number of gamblers become addicted to the thrill of winning.
While most states have now discontinued their reliance on scratch-off ticket promotions, the advertising they do still focuses on two messages. The first is to portray the lottery as a harmless game, which obscures the regressivity and incentivizes non-committed players to play. The second message is to encourage the public to “play for the dream.” The problem with this strategy is that it is unrealistic and deceitful.
If the state wants to encourage its citizens to play, it should stop misleading them. Instead, it should focus on providing useful information about gambling and its potential harms. It should also work to limit the size of jackpots and the amount of money that can be won by a single player. And it should be more transparent about the way the prizes are awarded. Otherwise, the lottery is just another form of government-sponsored gambling and should be banned.