Should states suspend lotteries during the coronavirus pandemic?

For the weeks (if not months) that stay-at-home orders are in place in many areas, it will not be feasible for millions of people to work as the country practices social distancing and avoids contact with the public as much as possible. More than 3 million people claimed unemployment benefits last week, and surely, there will soon be a report with millions more doing the same this week. The unemployment rate is high, but we’re still waiting on official numbers. Many people are desperate and need money.

In this crisis, there is a small step that state governments can take to help the unemployed: suspend lottery ticket sales for the foreseeable future.