A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the
drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments
outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of
organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find
some degree of regulation of lottery by governments. The most
common regulation is prohibition of sale to minors, and vendors
must be licensed to sell lottery tickets.
Although
lotteries were common in the United States and some other
countries during the 19th century, by the beginning of the 20th
century, most forms of gambling, including lotteries and
sweepstakes, were illegal in the U.S. and most of Europe as well
as many other countries. This remained so until well after World
War II. In the 1960s, casinos and lotteries began to re-appear
throughout the world as a means for governments to raise revenue
without raising taxes. ( )