How Lottery Marketers Appeal to a Vulnerable Group

Lottery is a game where numbers are drawn at random to determine the winners. The prize money can be anything from cash to goods to services, or a combination of these. In the United States, state-administered lotteries generate billions in revenue annually. Lottery participants include millions of people, many of whom are low-income and less educated. They are disproportionately nonwhite and male. They are a group that experts say is vulnerable to the allure of a quick fix, or even a complete makeover.

These marketers rely on two main messages to lure players in. The first is to evoke the sense of a civic duty. When the lottery’s prize is framed as something that can improve a person’s life, or perhaps that of their family, it becomes an attractive proposition. Similarly, when the prize is presented as a way to raise funds for a state, it’s seen as an acceptable form of taxation that doesn’t feel too onerous, especially in comparison to the percentage of state revenues that go toward education and other public services.

Lottery campaigns also expertly amplify FOMO by making it seem as though winning the lottery is possible for anyone. The odds might be astronomical, but they can still be won with a little bit of skill. To reduce the risk of gambling addiction, experts suggest limiting how much a person spends on tickets and keeping track of whether it feels like an indulgence or a compulsion.