Lottery

20% of players contribute 82% of lottery revenue in the USA — disproportionately are low-income, minority men who have less than a college education. That has fueled a vociferous anti-lottery movement. “It really is government undercutting what government’s role should be,” which is encouraging people in financial straits to be responsible with their money, says Tom Grey of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling.

About one-half of American adults spend $45 billion annually on some 35,000 lottery games in 40 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.