States have an unspoken (but true) interest in lotteries because they are an important pacifying force. As long as a multitude believe there is a magical way ou

States have an unspoken (but true) interest in lotteries because they are an important pacifying force. As long as a multitude believe there is a magical way out, they will not rise up and riot. State run lotteries really took off after the revolutionary fervor in the early 1800s, it's not a coincidence. Paradoxically, there's generally a second but equally required counterforce to sustain the hypnosis. A constant drip-drip of content about how money doesn't really cause happiness. Hence, frequent news stories about lottery winners blowing through their winnings or losing friends and family in the subsequent strife. This is to make the status-quo (aka reality) tolerable, it's the soothing balm. It's really absolutely shameful. 100% agreed, lotteries need to be banned, except for trivialities like school raffles or bingo or what have you.