Six centuries of draws: a brief history of lotteries
From 15th-century Flemish towns to Mega-Sena, lotteries have long served one purpose: raising public funds without creating a new tax.
Stories about lotteries in ancient China and imperial Rome are common, but the first documented cash-prize lotteries come from the 15th-century Low Countries. In 1445, the town of Sluis in today's Netherlands held a draw to fund city walls and public works. Other towns followed to finance fortifications and support the poor.
The oldest lottery still running
Staatsloterij, the Dutch state lottery, was established in 1726 and still operates today. It is the world's oldest continuously running lottery. In England, Queen Elizabeth I authorized a national lottery in 1567 to fund ports and royal works; tickets took years to sell.
1812: the birth of El Gordo
Spain's Lotería de Navidad was first drawn in 1812 in Cádiz, during the war against French occupation. The idea was to raise revenue without raising taxes. More than two centuries later, the December 22 draw is a national tradition that distributes billions of euros each year.
Modern lotteries
Across six centuries, the purpose has barely changed: financing public works and programs with voluntary spending.
Why governments adopted lotteries
For governments, lotteries raise funds from people who choose to participate rather than taxing everyone. That is why almost all major lotteries are state-run or government-licensed, with a significant share going to education, sports, culture or social security. We explain where the money goes today in Where lottery money goes.