A lottery 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.
A lottery drawing being conducted at the television studio at Texas Lottery Commission headquarters
Lottery tickets for sale, Ropar, India. 2019
An 1809 lottery drawing at Coopers' Hall in London
Selling tickets in London for the last government lottery in England
Gambling is the wagering of something of value on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three elements to be present: consideration, risk (chance), and a prize. The outcome of the wager is often immediate, such as a single roll of dice, a spin of a roulette wheel, or a horse crossing the finish line, but longer time frames are also common, allowing wagers on the outcome of a future sports contest or even an entire sports season.
Caravaggio, The Cardsharps (c. 1594), depicting card sharps.
Gamblers in the Ship of Fools, 1494
"Players and courtesans under a tent" by Cornelis de Vos
Max Kaur and religious leaders protest against gambling, Tallinn, Estonia.