4 ms·

The lottery is effectively a regressive tax. I would prefer increasing taxes in a progressive or at least proportional scheme.

• colinmhayes 6y ago
  The lottery is a choice. No one is forcing anyone to play. People are going to gamble though, so the state might as well take a cut as a way to discourage it.
  • webmaven 6y ago
    > The lottery is a choice. No one is forcing anyone to play. That effectively makes it a tax on the innumerate. People are going to gamble though, so the state might as well take a cut as a way to discourage it. It's fairly well established that rather than discouraging gambling, the result of government endorsement and taxation is a net increase in gambling. I think I've also seen some analysis that after about a decade, the increase in gambling behavior is also correlated with less taxable income from citizens, higher consumption of alcohol, etc., which amplifies the regressive effects.
  • websites2323 6y ago
    The state doesn’t discourage it, they promote it. That’s the problem. Gambling is entertainment for people who don’t understand statistics. It’s a tax on the poor.
    • analog31 6y ago
      It can also be an addiction.