[AcerbicZero]

I call it a tax because it is a government organized/run operation with the objective of removing wealth from individuals for (ostensibly) the betterment of the citizenry as a whole.

My complaint is about the targeted nature of lotteries and the extremely poor investments they make for individuals who tend to already struggle in this area. This is compounded by the nature of the education system being operated primary by the same government.

[quickthrowman]

The only reason the government is involved is because organized crime is who runs lotteries in the absence of the state. People would still gamble with black market lotteries.

[andy800]

Organized crime ran very small, very basic "numbers" games that are the equivalent to the low-profile "Pick 3" or "Quick 4" games most states run. Hundreds, maybe a few thousand dollars of prizes. No organized crime ring paid out multi-million dollar jackpots -- this is entirely the invention of government lotteries and the private administration companies that run them, like G-Tech. When 8-digit jackpots weren't enough to draw desired participation, states joined together (MegaMillions, Powerball) to create 9- and even 10-digit jackpots.

[thaumasiotes]

> The only reason the government is involved is because organized crime is who runs lotteries in the absence of the state.

This isn't really a concept that makes sense. Organized crime is a state. They serve the same functions, care about the same things, and draw legitimacy from the same sources.

[potato3732842]

The only reason organized crime is involved is because it's not legal and they're the only ones who do not legal at scale.

If it were legal normal business would do it, see for example weed or booze before and after prohibition.

[bluGill]

Casinos everywhere object to being called organized crime.

[quickthrowman]

Casinos don’t run lotteries, as least as far as I’m aware.

I was referring to the ‘numbers game’ racket: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_game

[happyopossum]

> The only reason the government is involved is because organized crime is who runs lotteries in the absence of the state

No - the reason they do is because they can and it rakes in tons of money. Period.

[Supermancho]

The government doesn't make as much as the ticket printers and lottery machine manufacturers/owners. It's not about the money for the state. It's about the lobbyists who are now entrenched, same as virtually any US lottery.