The practice of making decisions or determining fates by casting lots has a long record in human history, including several instances in the Bible. However, the lottery as a method for material gain is relatively recent in Western civilization. The first recorded public lottery to distribute prize money was held in 1466 in Bruges, Belgium. The Lord wants us to earn our wealth honestly, not through gambling or other means that have a high probability of failure (Proverbs 23:5). The fact that playing the lottery is a lose-lose proposition should be enough to deter those who have a biblical conscience from participating.
The modern era of state lotteries began with New Hampshire’s establishment of one in 1964, and the majority of states followed suit shortly thereafter. Since that time, state lotteries have enjoyed broad popular support. They are able to sustain that support largely by arguing that their proceeds benefit a particular “public good,” such as education, and by developing extensive specific constituencies, such as convenience store operators; suppliers of lottery equipment and services (heavy contributions by these companies to state political campaigns are routinely reported); teachers (in states where the lottery’s revenues are earmarked for education); state legislators (who become accustomed to the extra revenue); and the general public, which is constantly being bombarded with ads.
In order to keep the public’s interest, lottery directors frequently announce huge jackpots. They also use sophisticated marketing techniques and spend enormous amounts of money on television and other media to promote the lottery. Despite the success of these efforts, critics argue that the lottery is not a legitimate way to raise funds for educational purposes, and that it diverts the public from spending its time and resources on more productive endeavors.
The popularity of the lottery is due to a combination of factors, some economic and others cultural and moral. The economic factor is straightforward: states need money, and the lottery offers an easy, safe, and predictable source of revenue. The cultural and moral factors are more complicated. Lottery games appeal to people’s basic human desire to win, and there is also an inextricable emotional attraction to the idea that the lottery has the potential to improve one’s quality of life. This is why billboards displaying large jackpot amounts are so effective, and it is why so many people continue to play. But there is more to it than that, and a much darker underbelly to the lottery. It is a form of addiction, and it is a form of gambling that is regressive for low-income people. It creates new generations of gamblers and encourages other forms of risk-taking, and it is something that Christians should avoid. For these reasons, the church should oppose all state-sponsored lotteries.