The Mega Million lottery jackpot is at an estimated $ 640 million . Scott Drenkard : Americans are lining up to pay what is , in effect , a tax . Lotteries take a disproportionate share of income from the poorest Americans , he says . State governments have developed a strong reliance on these lottery `` profits '' over the years . Drenkard says lotteries take out a lower share of revenues than other forms of gambling .
The Mega Million lottery jackpot is at an estimated $ 640 million . Scott Drenkard : Americans are lining up to pay what is , in effect , a tax . Lotteries take a disproportionate share of income from the poorest Americans , he says . Drenkard says lotteries take out a lower share of revenues than other forms of gambling .