The lottery is a popular pastime for some people, a chance to fantasize about winning a fortune at the cost of a few bucks. But for many —especially those on low incomes who play the most—it can become a serious drain. Critics say it’s a disguised tax on those least able to afford it.

The question of whether lotteries should be banned is a complicated one. On the one hand, state governments have developed a dependence on them as painless sources of revenue in an anti-tax era. On the other hand, the promotion of gambling can lead to negative consequences for the poor and problem gamblers. And as government officials make decisions about promoting the lottery, they must balance competing goals: maximizing revenues, increasing public awareness of gambling issues, and protecting the integrity of the game.

In the case of a state lottery, the authority over the lottery is divided between legislative and executive branches. This can leave public policymaking fragmented and without a overall view of the industry. And the industry itself is constantly evolving, with pressures on politicians to increase ticket sales and promote new games.

The process of distributing something, often money or prizes, among people by lot has been around since ancient times. The Old Testament instructed Moses to distribute land by lot, and Roman emperors used the lottery to give away slaves and property during Saturnalian feasts. But the modern lottery is a more sophisticated and regulated affair than those earlier games. It involves a large number of tickets sold for the chance to win a prize decided by random selection.