Shrey Awasthi
The Himachal Pradesh government’s decision to reintroduce lottery system may seem like a harmless source of state revenue at first glance. However, for a debt-ridden hill state already grappling with widespread youth unemployment, financial instability and chitta menace, this initiative could prove to be nothing short of a disaster.
Rather than offering relief or opportunity, the lottery system threatens to deepen the state’s socio-economic wounds and push vulnerable population further into despair.
State under financial duress
Himachal Pradesh’s fiscal health has been deteriorating steadily, with mounting debts and a growing inability to generate sustainable revenue. In such a scenario, resorting to a lottery system appears to be a desperate attempt to fill the government coffers without structural reforms.
However, this short-term gain comes at a dangerous long-term cost. The idea of state-sponsored lotteries might sound like easy money for the government, but in reality, it is a regressive tool that disproportionately affects the poor, unemployed and the financially insecure — the very segments the government should be protecting.
Psychological trap for unemployed youth
Lakhs of young individuals in Himachal Pradesh are unemployed, frustrated and directionless. For many, the lottery may appear as a ray of hope, a shortcut to success and a means to escape the harsh realities of joblessness. But this illusion quickly morphs into addiction. What begins as a one-time purchase, just to try luck, can easily spiral into a compulsive habit.
With each loss, the gambler’s desperation grows, prompting to chase losses and spend even more in hopes of a big win. The result is a vicious cycle of financial ruin, psychological stress and social disintegration.
Gamble they can’t afford
In a state where arranging money for daily needs is already a struggle for many, the pressure to scrape together funds for lottery tickets will only create new problems. Youth may resort to borrowing money, selling personal belongings or even turning to illicit means just to keep playing.
When a state promotes gambling as a solution to poverty or unemployment, it fails not just economically but morally. Moreover, unlike skill-based activities or jobs, lottery wins are purely based on chance. The overwhelming majority of players will lose and for those already vulnerable, these losses can be catastrophic. Financial insecurity will increase, pushing families further into debt and emotional turmoil.
Broader social consequences
Addiction to gambling, including lotteries, has far-reaching consequences beyond the individual. Families are torn apart, domestic violence increases and communities suffer as productive time and resources are lost to a fruitless pursuit of luck.
Additionally, the normalisation of gambling can also impact school-going children and teenagers who grow up watching their elders gamble, thereby internalising it as a cultural norm. Rather than empowering its youth, the government will be sending a dangerous message: that gambling is an acceptable and endorsed way to seek financial freedom.
Call for responsible governance
The youth of Himachal do not need lotteries, but they need jobs, education, skill development and mental health support. They need investment in industries, infrastructure and innovation. They need hope built on hard work and real opportunities, not the fleeting, deceptive promise of a lottery win.
It is crucial for the state government to reconsider such moves and instead focus on sustainable models of economic development. The path forward must be paved with dignity, not desperation.
The re-introduction of the lottery system is a dangerous distraction from the real issues plaguing the state. For the youth already battling unemployment and disillusionment, lotteries offer false hope and real harm. If not checked, this system will only create a society addicted to chance, trapped in a cycle of debt and despair. What Himachal needs is not a gamble, but a plan.
(The writer is the state coordinator of HP Unemployed Youth Federation; views are personal)
