When talking about the history of lotteries in the United States, the la lottery played a very significant role. In fact, most gambling, and all lotteries, were outlawed by several states beginning in the 1870's, following massive scandals in the la lottery, which was a state lottery that operated nationally. In fact, the la lottery was often called the Golden Octopus because it was said to have reached every home in the United States.

Lotteries have been around for centuries as a way for governments to raise money other than taxing its citizens. American lotteries can be traced back to the 13 colonies when Benjamin Franklin tried to organize a lottery in Philadelphia to raise money for cannons to protect the city from the British during the American Revolution. Lotteries were regularly used in colonial America to finance public works projects such as building churches and paving streets. American Institutions Harvard and Yale were constructed with money raised by lotteries.

Alexander Hamilton wrote about lotteries that 'Everybody'will be willing to hazard a trifling sum for the chance of considerable gain'and would prefer a small chance of winning a great deal to a great chance of winning little.' Hamilton was referring to lotteries that were aiding the government in its war effort.

The la lottery scandal in the late 19th century absolutely crippled the gambling industry in America. The scandal included extensive bribery of both state and federal officials. The federal government began to step in and take action to combat the corruption of the lotteries. Under direct and stern orders from President Harrison that 'severe and effective legislation' be enacted against all lotteries, the federal government outlawed all use of mail for lotteries in 1890, and finally in 1895 it invoked the Commerce Clause to forbid shipments of lottery tickets or advertisements across state lines, effectively ending lotteries in the United States.

It took a long time for lotteries to re-emerge in the United States, but in 1964 New Hampshire established its own state lottery, thus paving the road for other states to follow. There have been arguments both for and against lotteries since they have reappeared into the daily lives of Americans. The people who oppose the lottery state that they are nothing more than a way to tax willing citizens without having to actually raise taxes. While the funds that come from lotteries are supposed to be made public, critics of the lottery often question the validity of these publications and accuse the government of concealing exactly where the money goes. They argue that the money is not being allocated to the proper places, and instead going to much less needed areas.

Another popular argument that critics of the lottery have is the widespread problem that some Americans have with gambling. The growing number of people who have become addicted to gambling in the United States is staggering, and opposers of the lottery place a lot of the blame on the shoulders of lotteries for giving people with this addiction the freedom to gamble at will. They liken it to a gateway drug that opens the door for further problems in the future.

The detractors of the lottery seem to have no chance of slowing down the incredible growth that lotteries have seen over the past 50 years. With multi-jurisdictional games such as Mega Millions and Powerball exploding in popularity, the lottery looks as though it is here to stay. It is important to remember the history of the lottery, and the problems it has caused in the past, so that we can be vigilant against it possibly happening again in the future.