During the 1980s it became fashionable for states to raise funds by starting lotteries. Today, the majority of states, including Iowa, have state sponsored lotteries.

The lottery seems to be a solution which moves us closer to living in “the best of all possible worlds.” After all, it seems to be in the best interest of all the parties concerned. State governments gain because they receive greatly needed revenue. Politicians gain because they succeed in bringing in this revenue without doing that which would make them unpopular (i.e raising taxes). Gambling enthusiasts gain because they get the opportunity to do what they like to do. Moreover, those who do not play are even better off than those who do. Other people voluntarily provide the government with funds while non-gamblers can spend their extra bit of cash at McDonalds or The Gap.

But we are not moving closer to living in “the best of all possible worlds” and the claim that state sponsored lotteries are in the best interest of everyone is just balderdash.

Lotteries are the most pervasive form of gambling in the United States. Not only does their popularity make them a faithful supplier of revenue for states, but so does the fact that a high percentage of what people spend playing goes directly to states. Around 30 to 40 percent of all money spent on lotteries goes to the states, whereas other forms of gambling pay back players averages of around 80 to 90 percent of what they spend.

The problem associated with lotteries is clear. According to a study of Maryland’s lottery conducted several years ago, those earning less than $10,000 purchased more tickets than any other income level. Similarly, studies by Citizens for Tax Justice have revealed that, in general, the poor spend a larger percentage of their income on lottery tickets.

Some states, such as California, are often cited as exceptions to this. In such states, the poor seem to spend about the same percentage of their income on lottery tickets as do those of higher economic classes.

What does this mean? Both John and Jack help out their state government by purchasing lottery tickets. John makes $70,000 a year and spends $700 of that on tickets. Jack, who works at Walmart, makes $10,000 a year and spends $100 of that on tickets. Of course, John can afford the $700 dollars much more easily than Jack can afford the $100.

We should keep in mind that this is the type of example cited by those who support state run lotteries. In other states, the average percentage of income spent by the poor is greater than that of higher economic classes. Either way, it seems to have been established that state run lotteries function as a form regressive taxation. This is the most evident reason that they should be done away with.

This move toward state sponsored gambling has a negative impact not only upon the poor, but upon Americans in general. It is responsible for making greed and envy even more powerful social phenomena here in the United States.

Ultimately, lotteries rely for its appeal upon the belief that possession of money is the only accurate gauge of personal success. Being a “success” means being rich, being a “failure” means being poor, and if you are “OK” like most people, you’re middle class. If you happen to be wealthy, “You can spend your life happy.” If not, too bad.

Then again, you could play the lottery. You have a much, much greater chance of being run over and killed by an automobile than you do of winning the jackpot, but hey, this is your only real hope of being an outstanding success at life and of achieving true happiness.

This is the mentality that state lotteries rely on. This is also the mentality that this state, by spending millions of dollars on lottery advertising every year, nurtures in Iowans. It is, I may add, your mentality if you play the lottery.

But the fact is that state run gambling, especially lotteries, are popular, and as long as it is popular it will continue to exist and augment already existing social problems. To put the matter simply, don’t buy lottery tickets.

Tyler Wayne Roach is a senior in philosophy, English and religious studies from Des Moines.