You mean that it also creates a toxic culture which disproportionally hurts poor people and minorities? Agreed!
> lotteries are great sources of revenue (better than state corporate income taxes? Holy cow!)
They're only so because the US has this inmensely powerful anti-tax culture and lobbies. Plus, lotteries take money from the poor, which means they're aggravating the very problems we use taxes to solve.
> they are low-health-risk (someone may need treatment for gambling addiction but it never hurts their lungs or livers)
Mental health issues are health issues. Gambling addiction is not a low health risk.
> Just don't come crying to me when the state comes for your income and property taxes to make up the difference...
They should! They should come for my income and for my property taxes, and even more so for the income and property taxes of those who are richer than me. Taking money from the poor to fund the services that poor people need is obviously counter-productive.