Lotteries as alternatives to taxes? (government, states, federal, 2014)

[ohhwanderlust]

What if, instead of taxes, government funding came primarily from lotteries?

Would this be feasible only at the local government level, or could this be a voluntary way for states and the nation to at least partially fund itself (perhaps not entirely eliminating mandatory taxes, but at least reducing them)?

I realize that it'd realistically be a regressive "tax", but at least it'd be voluntary.

Thoughts?

[No_Recess]

Taxes (armed robbery) is only one piece of the problem puzzle.

The State would still have its monopoly on force and service providing ventures.

Also, this would make already draconian gambling laws even worse as lotteries would be incentivized and competitors punished.

Competition, fair competition, is the only way to truly bring prices down and improve product/services while maintaining a violence-free environment for those involved. I know Marx and Mao and the Federal Reserve would disagree but it's true. I can't change the laws of human nature and behavior.

Not knocking this specific idea per se but all social engineering does is move the problems and victims around inside the collectivist box. It may lead to some new winners and some new losers but generally speaking services/products won't be improved and the game will still be rigged in favor of the oligarchs.

[old_cold]

A quick Google search brought up these figures...
"The U.S. government's total revenue is estimated to be $3.654 trillion for fiscal year 2018."
"..lotteries took in $70.1 billion in sales in the 2014 fiscal year."

Looks like the budget would come up a "wee" bit short.