First lotteries and charity raffles

Introduction: When "chance" became a public tool

The lottery arose at the intersection of three needs: entertainment, fundraising and the social legitimacy of the game. Where excitement was condemned, the "charitable goal" gave a moral argument: you can play if the income goes "for the benefit of the community." So there were public rallies at fairs, city lotto for repairing walls and bridges, church raffles for the needs of hospitals and shelters.

Early prototypes: Asia and urban draws

South China and seaside cities: there were local draws with guessing signs and characters - in the late tradition known as "white pigeon tickets" (peddlers used dovecotes). Some of the fees were sometimes directed to community needs - street lighting, water locks, small bridges.

City fairs of Eurasia: sellers organized draws of goods (fabric, spices, dishes). Residents bought a ticket, and received winnings "in the square with witnesses" - an early form of public transparency.

💡 Important: the legend of the "ancient lotteries that built the Great Walls and Palaces" is beautiful, but direct documentary connections are usually absent. It is more realistic to talk about local infrastructure projects and charitable expenses.

Europe of the Middle Ages and Renaissance: "money for the city"

Northern cities (Netherlands, Flanders, Rhine)

The communes used lotteries to patch walls, dig canals, maintain almshouses and schools. Tickets were sold in advance, circulation was held in the town hall square; part of the income - to the prize fund, part - to the city. Transparency was provided by a public draw and lists of winners.

Italian city-states

In parallel, lotto and tombola developed - numbered tickets with circulation balls. Merchant houses and fraternities regularly organized charity raffles for hospitals and orphanages. In Naples, the tradition of tombola di Napoli is entrenched as a family-festive format with low rates and a pre-announced "share for charity."

German lands and Central Europe

Cities and workshop fraternities held rallies to repair bridges, cathedrals, walls. Church chapters supported such initiatives if transparency was not in doubt and did not lead to drunkenness and unrest.

Early Modern: From "private initiative" to state lotto

State guardianship. When it turned out that the lottery was able to consistently give income, monarchies and republics began to allow/monopolize lotto, securing a share for public needs.

Community foundations. Part of the proceeds went to shelters, hospitals, schools, fire brigades. A standard arose: a fixed distribution structure - X% for prizes, Y% for charity, Z% for organizational expenses.

Integrity rules. Circulation drums, numbered balls, independent witnesses (notaries, guild foremen) - this is how the trust procedure was drawn up.

Church and parish raffles: small but mass format

Parishes and fraternities raised funds for the roof of the temple, textbooks for the poor, and "baskets for widows." Prizes - from baskets with products and fabrics to modest decorations. Tickets were sold at fairs and door-to-door; draw - on the porch or in the community hall. These micro-lotteries were socially acceptable: the rate is small, the goal is clear, the witnesses are neighbors.

What made lotteries' charitable '- and how it was checked

1. Preannounced target and estimate. The poster/leaflet indicated: "to the school upon arrival," "to the city bridge," etc.

2. Fixed share of income in favor of the fund (for example, 20-40%).

3. Public report: posted lists of winners and amounts paid; later - printed "circulation balances."

4. Independent witnesses: ministers, foremen, notaries.

5. Restrictions on advertising and rates: tickets cannot be imposed, loans for the purchase of tickets, limits on denominations are prohibited.

Early lottery mechanics and design

Draw by number: numbered tickets + drum with balls.

Drawing by symbols: "pictures/iconography" for the illiterate (baskets, animals, signs).

Circulations with a fixed prize pool (pre-announced prizes are played) and with a growing bank (part of sales - into a common "boiler").

Natural prizes (goods, furs, fabrics) against cash - in cities they used money more often, in parishes - natural sets.

Multi-stage prizes: the main prize + a number of small ones - increased the chances of "feeling good luck" and sales growth.

Benefits and risks: why some lotteries loved and others banned

Pluses

An understandable way to collect small contributions from many to a common project.

Festivity and ritual: circulation as a city performance strengthened community ties.

Social legitimacy: People saw a bridge/school built by "their chance."

Minuses

Abuses and forgeries: there are more "left" tickets than in the drum; ball substitution; disappearing organizers.

Debt and compulsive selling: pressure on poor buyers.

Moral objections: "you cannot build charity on a passion for winning."

Regulator response

Licensing of circulations, register of organizers, ceilings of bets.

Mandatory audit and report on the use of funds.

The distribution of shares (prizes/charity/expenses) was fixed in the resolution.

Key Cases and Traditions (Short Review)

Northern Dutch city lotto: showed that circulation can stably finance public works and "houses of mercy."

Italian tombola: family holiday format with a charitable share, especially during the Christmas season.

English and French "state" draws of the early modern era: part of the proceeds went to port infrastructure, roads, schools, but due to abuse, partial or complete bans were periodically introduced.

Iberian traditions of the lottery of numbers: strengthened the model of regular circulation with a fixed share for public needs - the forerunner of modern national lotteries.

Honesty tech: How trust was secured

Circulation materiel: transparent drums/urns, numbered balls with the same weight.

Procedures: triple check lists; "reading aloud" numbers in the crowd; witness-child or two witnesses from different workshops (symbol of impartiality).

Communication: pre-announced rules, an example of the distribution of funds, a post-report on expenses and unclaimed prizes.

Bans, scandals and "gray" schemes

As soon as the lotteries became profitable, underground circulation appeared with inflated promises. Typical signs: lack of a license, too high "guaranteed profitability of charity," lack of a public report. In response, the authorities:

tightened licensing and liability;
demanded a deposit/pledge from the organizers;
introduced "black lists" and the publication of warnings in parish sheets.

The economics of charity giveaways: a simple formula

Ticket revenue = Prize pool (50-70% in early practices, varied) + Share for charity (often 10-30%) + Operating expenses (ticket printing, site rental, counting work).

The larger the circulation and cheaper the ticket, the easier it is to collect "a large amount in small installments." Therefore, the city authorities and parishes cultivated microbilets and series of circulations, and not one-time "expensive" draws.

The psychology of participation: why people bought tickets

Collective benefit: "even if I don't win, I helped the city/school."

Festivity: circulation - event, music, area, communication.

Low risk: affordable ticket and chance of "little luck."

Social signal: Participation demonstrates loyalty to the community/parish.

Legacy: How early lotteries influenced modern "charity gaming"

Transparency as a standard: public draw, audit, reports - norms so far.

Target targeting: The "hospital/school/firefighter" ticket is a direct precursor to modern target programs.

Regulatory model: licenses, rate limits, consumer protection, ban on credit tickets.

Formats: from parish raffle and "goodies basket" to online circulations with certified random number generators - the logic is the same: small contributions for a big goal.

Chronology (simplified)

Late medieval fairs: raffles of goods, the first public "circulations."

Renaissance cities: fixing lotto for urban needs, Italian tombola, church raffles.

Early New Time: state permitted lotteries, share of defense funds, roads, schools; scandals → waves of bans.

XIX-XX centuries: alternation of legalization and prohibitions; formation of national lotteries with strict reporting; development of charity funds for lotteries.

Glossary

Lotto/lottery - a drawing of prizes among those who bought tickets.

Raffle is a drawing of specific items/prize packages, often at parish level.

Tombola is an Italian low-stakes family holiday number lottery format.

Prize fund - a part of the proceeds directed to payments to the winners.

Public report - announcement of the results of circulation and estimates of the distribution of funds.

Conclusion: randomness as a social contract

Early lotteries proved that chance can work for the public good if the game is transparent, the rule is fixed, and the goal is clear to everyone. From the area draws, a whole culture of responsible charitable gaming has grown, where a ticket is both a hope for a prize and a voice for a city, school, bridge or hospital.

Continuation ideas on your site

"How Fair Circulation Works: From Drum to Witness Report"

"Urban Lotto of Northern Europe: Who and How Divided Revenue"

"Tombola di Napoli: Tradition, Small Chance Math and Family Celebration"

"Bans and scandals: what taught Europe lottery transparency"