A lottery is a game of chance in which a prize, usually cash, is awarded to people who buy tickets. Lotteries are typically regulated by state governments. The underlying idea is that there is a certain amount of good fortune that will befall some lucky person, and that the money raised by the lottery will benefit something the state considers to be a public good. Lotteries have been popular for centuries, and are found throughout the world. Despite their popularity, many people remain skeptical about the morality of state-sponsored lotteries.

A key element in winning and maintaining broad public support for a lottery is the degree to which its proceeds are seen as benefiting a specific public good, such as education. This argument is particularly effective when the state government faces a fiscal stress, and when the prospect of tax increases or cuts to public programs is imminent. However, studies have also shown that the success of a lottery is not related to a state’s actual fiscal situation: lotteries receive substantial popular support even in times when the state’s finances are strong.

Two popular moral arguments against lotteries are that they are regressive forms of taxation. The first is that they disproportionately burden the poor and working classes (who play the lottery more than the rich). The second is that they prey on illusory dreams of wealth that are more likely to harm people than to help them. Lottery revenues tend to expand dramatically at the outset, but then level off and sometimes decline, prompting a constant rush for new games to maintain or increase revenue.