Lotteries Should End - Pro

In many countries, governments have instituted state run lotteries that allow the opportunity for citizens to become wealthy on the premise that this is a sure win-win proposition for all involved. The reality of lotteries cannot be further from the truth. The lottery has proven to be a failure for all parties, the government, for non-profit organizations, and especially for the public. There are too many hidden problems with lotteries.

Governments have instituted the lottery on the overall assumption that it is good for society in general. When reviewing the evidence, it is clear this is not the case. Lotteries place the mental wellbeing of citizens at risk. Too many people play the lottery because of an addiction to the fantasy of overnight wealth. The government should not encourage this. The promotion of lotteries contributes to a society that values easy wealth over hard work. It is hypocritical for the government to criminalize gambling while endorsing lotteries.  The money the government receives from lottery proceeds could easily just have been collected through taxes. For the government, lotteries are unnecessary. In fact, through the lottery, the government is hurting its people far more than they are helping them.

For non-profit organizations, lotteries are an easy source of funding and revenue. This money, though, comes at a steep price. Consider that the goal of most non-profit organizations is to better the lives of those in society who are most susceptible to financial hardship. The fact that lotteries encourage those people to foolishly fritter their money away makes lotteries contradictory to the mission of non-profit organizations. If playing the lottery is akin to gambling, these organizations are contributing to the degradation of society. It is especially ironic for those non-profit organizations that help treat people for gambling and addiction problems.

Finally, the lottery is a hazard to the general public. Addiction to gambling is already a major problem in society. Lotteries only exacerbate this problem. The miniscule chance to win a fortune gives people false hope. Lured by this illusion, millions of people end up buying lottery tickets they cannot afford to buy. Some people must even be treated for their lottery addiction. What's worse, playing the lottery makes it more likely for people to begin trying other, more serious forms of gambling. For average people, playing the lottery is a quick and steep path to financial ruin.

For the government, the public, and non-profit organizations, it is easy to be lured by the idea of easy money. However, a hard look at the consequences of instituting lotteries shows this to be no more than an illusion. When evaluating the pros and cons of any idea, long-term harmful effects cannot be minimized. In the case of lotteries, any supposed benefits they may provide are far outweighed by the long-term problems they will create in society. Lotteries should end.

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