The Washington State Lottery provides a variety of games for players. These include scratch tickets, blackjack, poker and roulette. All players are required to be over 21.
In the 18th century, lotteries were used to help finance public works projects, such as wharves and building the Yale and Harvard colleges. However, many states outlawed gambling in the 1870s.
Today, lotteries are a significant source of income for state arts agencies in West Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. They also provide modest funding in Wisconsin.
In the United States, there are forty-five states that operate lottery programs. Each state has a specific age limit on gamblers. Some have a higher age limit than others. Although, no lottery is operated in Alaska, Hawaii, or Utah.
Most of the revenues from lotteries go to the General Fund of the State Treasury, which supports public safety, education, and the environment. Other states dedicate lottery revenue to a specific program. This is the most common way of financing state programs.
The State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has four units that oversee different aspects of the Lottery. The Division of Information Technology is responsible for technical assistance and assisting the Agency.
The Division of Finance is responsible for the administration, finance, and operations of the Agency. In November 2015, the Information Technology division merged with the Administration, Finance, and Operations Division.
The Creative Services unit is responsible for the development of advertising strategies, purchasing advertising space, and evaluating the effectiveness of advertising.