Lottery – A Regressive Gambling Game?

Lottery is one of the most popular games in the world and it is also very entertaining. You can enjoy the game by yourself or with friends and family members. It is an exciting game that can help you to earn a lot of money. This money can be used for many different purposes like buying new things for your home or can be spent on other activities.

Most people know that there is a chance to win a big amount of cash by playing the lottery. But, not many people realize that it is a game that involves chance and is not based on skill. The game of lotteries was started in the Low Countries during the 15th century to raise funds for town fortifications, as well as to help the poor. In the immediate post-World War II period, state governments saw lotteries as a way to boost their social safety nets without raising taxes too much on middle-class and working-class families.

But, that money has to come from somewhere and studies have shown that it comes primarily from the most vulnerable parts of society. Vox reports that ticket sales are disproportionately concentrated in zip codes with high percentages of low-income and minority residents. This makes it a regressive form of gambling, where the return is worse for lower-income people than for richer ones.