The Public Interest and the Lottery
When a state lottery is established, it has two purposes: to generate revenue and to promote gambling. The latter, however, has serious implications for poor people and problem gamblers. It is also a questionable function for the government to undertake, especially when it is running at cross-purposes with the public interest. Lottery officials are primarily concerned with maximizing revenues, and advertising is focused on encouraging target groups to spend money on the lottery. This is at odds with the general public’s desire to reduce its dependence on the gambling industry, and it raises serious concerns about the ethical integrity of the operation.
Lotteries are not a perfect means of raising money for public works, but they have proved to be a popular source of tax-free revenue in many states. Their principal argument has been that lottery players voluntarily spend their own money (as opposed to taxes levied on the whole population) for a chance of winning a substantial prize. In the case of state lotteries, these funds are used for a variety of public works projects.
The idea of distributing property and even slaves by lottery has a long history in human society. The Old Testament contains several instances of Moses dividing land by lot, and the Romans had frequent lotteries as entertainment at Saturnalian feasts and other events. In the 16th century Francis I of France was inspired by his experience with Italian lotteries and introduced a similar system in his kingdom.
Today, state lotteries have a broad base of support among the general population. More than 60 percent of Americans report playing the lottery at least once a year. In addition to the public at large, the industry develops extensive and specific constituencies, including convenience store operators, lottery suppliers (heavy contributions by these companies to state political campaigns are regularly reported), teachers in those states where a portion of the proceeds is earmarked for education, and state legislators who become accustomed to a steady flow of revenue.
In theory, the prize money for a lottery must be equal to the amount of tickets sold. But in practice this isn’t the case. A large percentage of lottery tickets are sold by groups, often composed of friends or colleagues. Such groups can afford to buy large numbers of tickets, increasing the chances of hitting a winning combination. But the prize must be divided equally between all members of the group.
Most state lotteries advertise their prizes in terms of a lump sum, but it is possible to win the jackpot as an annuity, which provides a first payment when you win and 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year. This can give you a much higher income than if you won the lump sum. The only catch is that you will have to wait 30 years before you receive the full amount. This is a major drawback for some lottery winners. But for those who are willing to take the risk, a well-designed strategy can be extremely profitable.
The Public Interest and the Lottery Read More »