Over here in the UK the National Lottery is state-franchised and was established in 1994. I actually remember it being a pretty big deal at the time when it was established, nothing like it really existed beforehand.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lottery_(United_Kingdom)
I'm quite interested in marxist analysis of the implementation of this kind of thing by a state, and the effect it has on the population. Does that kind of thing exist? What are the thoughts here?
I should've clarified knowing that you're in the UK, but almost all states in the USA use lottery funds to supplement their education budgets. It's discussed in the episode in more detail, but it ends up being quite insidious. It encourages the thinking that buying a lotto ticket is like making a donation to public schools while also making it difficult to have a meaningful discussion about the net negatives of a lottery system because 'it raises money for the children'.
Hmm that's interesting. I don't see that argument ever made and don't think the "good deeds" that the lottery money funds here have that kind of penetration into people's minds, but I do think the existence of those "good deeds" functions to remove buyer-anxiety about the fact it is gambling and all the associated negative social outcomes of gambling. The function here is much the same as coffee being marketed alongside many "fair trade" and "good" things to remove buyer anxiety.
Maybe that would come up more if anyone ever attacked or criticised it here though, nobody tries to so I don't know.