From a prohibited game to a lucky business. Businessmen and politicians in the lottery business in Mexico, 1915-1933

Abstract

Debates on the morality of lottery generally intermingle with weak public
funds. Post-revolutionary governments have had diferent views on gambling
companies. In the history of public lottery companies in Mexico, we address
decision-making processes and conlicts of interest between civil servants
and prominent businesspeople which can be observed both on the level of
the state and federal governments, as well as between public organizations
seeking to gain control over lotteries. his paper looks into the discursive use
of social issues and the promise of pushing the beneits as a way to legitimate
the game in front of the state. hrough a novel source study of the archives of
the Lottery, an analysis is provided of the very complex set of norms and those
illegal agreements which strengthened state control by adjusting interests,
thus generating a signiicant money low between 1915 and 1933.