Just another government operated business . . . .
The real winners are the lottery authorities and the private contractors they employ. They get to ignore the consumer protection laws other merchants must follow and enjoy a near-permanent revenue stream skimmed from lottery proceeds.
This "voluntary" tax may be better than forcible confiscation, but it is not harmless. Government never is... no matter how we pay for it.
http://thedailybell.com/news-analysis/36315/State-Run-Lotteries-The-Desperation-Tax/