A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn for a prize. Some governments outlaw it while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a state or national lottery. Lotteries are generally regulated, with laws banning sale to minors and requiring ticket vendors to be licensed. The prizes for winning the lottery can range from money to goods to a new car or even a house.

Lotteries have a long history, with early examples including the distribution of land among the Hebrews and the Roman emperors giving away slaves by lottery during Saturnalian feasts. Modern lotteries are typically run by states, which have a legal monopoly on the activity and control everything from marketing to prize payouts.

In the United States, state-run lotteries are popular and generate billions of dollars in revenue each year for public services like education, law enforcement and infrastructure. But critics say that the money lottery players contribute, on average, amounts to a regressive tax on those with low incomes and can lead to addictive gambling behavior.

In an anti-tax era, state governments face a conflict between their desire to increase lottery revenues and their duty to protect the public welfare. Some lottery critics believe that by encouraging gambling addiction, promoting the idea of instant wealth, and fostering a sense of hopelessness, lotteries undermine the ability of people to control their finances and plan for the future. Others point to research suggesting that poorer people disproportionately play lotteries, which can become an expensive habit.