But despite heavy play by some socioeconomic groups, the Center says the evidence suggests that a lottery does not contribute to compulsive gambling as much as certain other games of chance. Lottery officials say compulsive gamblers tend to gravitate toward types of gambling that involve a skill element and provide an immediate reward, such as casino games and video poker. In addition, states have not found a way to prevent minors from playing the lottery, even though play by minors is illegal in every state. The Center says other social consequences of lotteries are difficult to prove or disprove through research. One such question is whether state government is diminished in the eyes of its citizens for promoting an activity that otherwise would be illegal.
Many citizens simply think that lotteries are a form of gambling and morally wrong.
In promoting lotteries, proponents typically argue that lottery revenues will enhance funding in certain program areas such as education. However, there is no guarantee that state legislatures will not merely substitute lottery revenues for normal appropriations. The Center found that research results on this question are inconclusive. Research in California, Florida, and Michigan shows that lottery funds have merely substituted for normal levels of appropriations, despite the fact that lotteries had been promoted as boosting spending for education. And, a separate study by Money magazine found that states with lotteries devote a lower percentage of their total operating budgets to education than do states without a lottery.