The Lottery

The Lottery: Painless Revenue or Hidden Tax?

According to McConnell, Brue & Flynn (2015), “Though nowadays common, state lotteries are controversial. Critics argue that (1) it is morally wrong for states to sponsor gambling; (2) lotteries generate compulsive gamblers who impoverish themselves and their families; (3) low-income families spend a larger portion of their incomes on lotteries than do high-income families; (4) as a cash business, lotteries attract criminals and other undesirables; and (5) lotteries send the message that luck and fate—rather than education, hard work, and saving—are the route to wealth. Defenders contend that (1) lotteries are preferable to taxes because they are voluntary rather than compulsory; (2) they are a relatively painless way to finance government services such as education, medical care, and welfare; and (3) lotteries compete with illegal gambling and are thus socially beneficial in curtailing organized crime.”

(p. 412). This paper very briefly examines the pros and cons of state lotteries and whether or not the average American citizen should spend their last dollar on a hopeful winning ticket or save it for future uncertainty.

Painless Revenue: Benefiting the Public Good

The “casting of lots” in order to determine a person’s fate has an incredibly long history. According to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission (1999), “Lotteries held a prominent place in the early history of America, including an important role in financing the establishment of the first English colonies. The first such lottery, in 1612, raised 29,000 pounds for the Virginia Company. Lotteries were frequently used in colonial-era America to finance public works projects such as paving streets, constructing wharves, even building churches.” However, gambling and all lotteries were outlawed by several states beginning in the 1870’s. This was in response to several scandals that happened within the Louisiana state lottery, which...