1. A contest or game in which tokens are distributed and a winning combination is drawn for prizes. 2. A process of determining fate or distribution: The ancient practice of giving away property by lot is sometimes called the lottery.
3. A system of distribution: Lotteries are used to distribute military draftees.
The principal argument that states use in promoting their state lotteries is that they provide a painless form of revenue, and that the money spent by players on tickets is essentially a voluntary tax paid by those who choose to play. As a result, the money raised by lotteries can be used for public purposes, including education and other civic activities.
Once a lottery is established, debate shifts to the specific features of its operations and how it affects various groups within society: compulsive gamblers; the regressive impact on low-income communities; and other issues that are at cross-purposes with its main function of raising revenue. This shift in the focus of discussion is partly a result of the way in which most state lotteries are run as private businesses, and thus operate at cross-purposes with the state’s larger public policy goals.
Statistical analyses of lottery data reveal that the largest percentage of players comes from middle-income neighborhoods. In addition, men are more likely to play than women, blacks and Hispanics more than whites, and the elderly are less likely to play than younger people. Moreover, lottery play tends to decline with formal education, suggesting that lower-income communities are disproportionately excluded from the opportunity to participate.