The casting of lots has a long history in human affairs, including several instances mentioned in the Bible. It is often used to determine fates and distribute material goods, such as units in a subsidized housing block or kindergarten placements. However, lotteries have also gained a significant following as a means of raising funds for a variety of public purposes.
Many states have adopted state-run lotteries to raise money for a variety of projects, from paving streets and repairing bridges to funding university scholarships and building museums. Some of these lotteries have grown to be quite large, with prizes of millions of dollars or more. Although the popularity of lotteries has been growing steadily, there are a number of moral concerns that have accompanied their spread.
For example, some people who play the lottery have a preoccupation with coveting money and its trappings. The lottery offers the promise that if they can just win a prize, their problems will be solved. The Scriptures forbid coveting (see Ecclesiastes 5:10).
Other moral concerns revolve around the marketing of lottery games and the ways in which the winnings are distributed. The promotional materials for lotteries frequently present misleading information about the odds of winning, inflate the value of the money won (lotto jackpot prizes are usually paid in annual installments over 20 years, with inflation and taxes dramatically eroding the initial lump sum), and so on. Many of these advertising practices are legal but morally dubious.