The lottery is an arrangement in which people pay a small amount of money for a chance to win prizes that depend on chance. A percentage of the prize pool normally goes to expenses and profits, a smaller portion may go to administrative costs, and the remainder is available for winners. Lotteries are popular in some cultures, but critics claim that they increase the incidence of addictive gambling behavior and impose regressive taxes on low-income groups.

Most state lotteries are similar to traditional raffles, with ticket purchasers selecting numbers in advance of a drawing weeks or months in the future. However, innovative games introduced in the 1970s transformed the industry. These new offerings typically included smaller prize amounts and tended to attract a younger audience. The games proved to be more fun and engaging, as well as more profitable.

Consequently, revenues expanded dramatically, and governments began to view them as a relatively painless way to raise funds for public programs. The era was marked by inflation, and states sought ways to expand their array of services without having to increase onerous taxes on middle-class and working-class families.

But these programs have also triggered a growing chorus of criticisms. Critics charge that lotteries are a major source of compulsive gambling, a significant regressive tax on poorer households, and can lead to other abuses. These claims reflect the fact that lottery policies are made piecemeal and incrementally, and that authority for regulating the industry is split between state legislatures and executive branches.