In the United States, lottery players spend billions of dollars every week, hoping that they will be the lucky winner. Although the odds of winning are low, lottery participation is widespread and many players view it as a way to better their lives. But what is the real impact of lottery gambling? Does it contribute to addiction, promote gambling by minors and the poor, or create other problems?
A popular source of government revenue, lotteries raise money for a variety of public services. They are especially attractive to politicians seeking ways to raise taxes without enraging an anti-tax electorate. But, as with any tax increase, critics argue that lottery proceeds are not transparent and could reduce state budgets for other public needs. Moreover, they are viewed by many consumers as an implicit tax and can encourage uncontrolled spending.
Nonetheless, a growing number of states began running lotteries in the late twentieth century. New Hampshire, famously tax-averse, initiated the modern era of lotteries in 1964, and other states followed suit, mostly in the Northeast and Rust Belt. Lotteries quickly grew popular because they raised money for governments without increasing taxes, enticed large numbers of people to play (despite Protestant prohibitions against gambling), and created powerful constituencies—convenience store owners, lottery suppliers, teachers who are dependent on revenue from the lottery, and state legislators who become accustomed to receiving campaign contributions from lotteries.
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