National lotteries allow lower taxes, that is all. The same dollars could be raised by taxing people in a progressive way instead of via addictive gambling.

Gambling can ruin people's lives. The government shouldn't support it being easily accessible. It should be reserved for a desert city almost no one lives in on vacation.

I'm glad you brought the inconvenient truth up. Both the lottery and cigarette taxes are used to fund essential programs (schools, police, fire departments) guilt-free here in the states. If those were to be removed, we would be forced to hold a difficult conversation about taxation and how we would fund things from then on.

Although those things could be funded by something else instead (e.g. income or excise taxes)