A lottery is a form of gambling in which people pay for tickets and try to win a prize based on the drawing of numbers. Lottery games are a popular way to raise money for a variety of public uses, including reducing state taxes or providing support for senior citizens. They are also used to fund a wide range of private activities, from subsidized housing units to kindergarten placements. While promoting gambling may be beneficial, there are many critics of the lottery who argue that it increases problem gambling and regresses against lower income groups. They also charge that the lottery encourages addictive gambling behavior and diverts attention from other ways of spending money.

Although the casting of lots to decide fates and distribute property has a long history in human culture (there are several instances in the Old Testament, and Roman emperors gave away slaves by lottery), the modern lottery is of relatively recent origin. It was first introduced in the United States in the mid-1700s, and it was a controversial subject in many colonies.

Lottery revenues typically expand rapidly upon their introduction, then level off and sometimes decline. In order to maintain or increase revenues, new games are frequently introduced. This is a classic example of public policy being made piecemeal and incrementally, with little overall overview or direction. And it is a case in which government officials face a conflict between their desire to increase revenue and their duty to protect the general public welfare.