The practice of distributing property and money among a group of people by chance, often in the form of tickets or chances purchased for a prize. The casting of lots has a long record in human history (it is documented in the Bible, and Roman emperors used it for Saturnalian feasts), but lotteries have gained great popularity for their promise of instant wealth and material goods. In an era of widening economic inequality, newfound materialism asserts that anyone can become rich with sufficient effort or luck, and popular anti-tax movements have led lawmakers to seek alternatives to raising taxes — which lottery games provide.

Since New Hampshire inaugurated the modern era of state lotteries in 1964, the arguments for and against their adoption have largely followed the same pattern: the premise is that they offer states a source of “painless” revenue, with players voluntarily spending their money in order to benefit a particular public good. This argument is particularly persuasive during times of financial stress, when the state government may be threatening to raise or cut taxes, but it has continued to win broad support even when the state’s actual fiscal circumstances are good.

Despite the prevailing notion that lottery play is an exercise in self-discipline, research has shown that it has a strong addictive element. The purchase of a ticket is perceived as a minimal investment with a potentially massive return, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) plays a large role in triggering addiction. Moreover, it is well established that the lottery attracts a player base that is disproportionately lower-income, less educated, nonwhite, and male.