4 ms·

State lotteries are unethical for many of the same reasons why accredited investor requirements exist.

• kspaans 9y ago
  It's a lot easier to fix though: make minimum ticket prices higher. At $20 or $100 each, there is more sticker-shock friction to prevent overspending on lottery tickets.
  • troupe 9y ago
    From what I see of gambling behavior, I'm not convinced that at $20 ticket price would help the people who are most likely to lose money they can't afford in the lottery.
  • conanbatt 9y ago
    It would make a fine business out of black market lottery ticket selling.
  • saalweachter 9y ago
    You should also cap the max jackpots. The multi-hundred-million jackpots generate a bit of a mania. Also, if you wanted to disincentivize lotteries, but not ban them outright, you could start taxing them - up front, not the behind-the-scenes cut states get now. Add a 50% tax on lotto tickets and a 50% surtax on winnings and most people will be too disgusted to play.