Bee-ethical.com Review

Based on looking at the website, Bee-ethical.com is a platform focused on lottery management, aiming to assist charitable partners in fundraising.

While their stated mission of supporting charities might sound noble, the core service—lottery—is fundamentally problematic from an ethical standpoint, especially when considering Islamic principles. As such, this platform is not recommended.

Here’s an overall review summary:

• Service Provided: Lottery management for charities.
• Ethical Stance Islamic Perspective: Not recommended due to the involvement in gambling lottery.
• Transparency: The website clearly outlines its lottery services and its aim to support charities through these means.
• Company Information: Appears to be an established entity with mentions of “companies house” implications though no direct link was provided in the text, it suggests a registered business.
• Customer Testimonials/Success Metrics: Mentions over 430 charities supported and millions of pounds raised monthly, indicating some level of operational success in their niche.
• Technology: Highlights “BeeSMART” and “ComBee” software for lottery management.

The website presents itself as a solution for non-profit organizations to raise funds through lottery campaigns.

They offer services ranging from concept development and marketing to advanced lottery management software.

They claim to have enabled significant financial support for numerous charities, citing over £1 million raised monthly by their partners.

However, the mechanism of fundraising—lottery—is a form of gambling.

Gambling, in all its manifestations, is prohibited due to its inherent uncertainty, potential for addiction, and the unjust acquisition of wealth.

Therefore, despite the charitable facade, the underlying activity renders Bee-ethical.com unsuitable from an ethical standpoint.

Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.

IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Best Ethical Alternatives for Fundraising and Financial Management:

Instead of engaging in lottery-based fundraising, consider these ethically sound alternatives that focus on genuine value exchange, productive investments, and direct charitable contributions.

These options prioritize transparency, fair dealings, and real economic activity, aligning with ethical principles.

• LaunchGood

  • Key Features: Global crowdfunding platform for Muslim and social good projects. Supports various campaigns including education, humanitarian aid, and community development. Focuses on zakat-eligible campaigns.
  • Average Price: Platform fees apply to successful campaigns typically 5%.
  • Pros: Halal-compliant, wide reach, strong community support, various campaign types, detailed reporting.
  • Cons: Requires active promotion from the campaign creator, success depends on compelling storytelling.

• GoFundMe Charity

  • Key Features: A widely recognized platform for personal and charitable fundraising. Offers tools for teams, events, and recurring donations.
  • Average Price: 0% platform fee for organizers in the US, with transaction fees 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
  • Pros: High brand recognition, easy to set up, robust features, wide audience.
  • Cons: Not specifically focused on Islamic principles, but can be utilized ethically for charitable causes.

• JustGiving

  • Key Features: Popular UK-based online fundraising platform for charities and individuals. Offers various fundraising tools, including event registrations, donation pages, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
  • Average Price: Small platform fee typically 5% plus payment processing fees.
  • Pros: User-friendly, strong community engagement features, supports Gift Aid.
  • Cons: Primarily UK-focused, though accessible internationally. fees apply.

• BetterWorld

  • Key Features: All-in-one fundraising platform for non-profits. Offers auctions, ticketing, peer-to-peer, and donation pages.
  • Average Price: Free for core features. premium features available with a subscription. Transaction fees apply.
  • Pros: Comprehensive suite of tools, good for events, transparent pricing.
  • Cons: May require some learning curve for new users, less global recognition.

• Kiva

  • Key Features: Micro-lending platform that allows individuals to lend small amounts to entrepreneurs and students in underserved communities globally. Focuses on economic empowerment.
  • Average Price: No fees for lenders. field partners may charge interest to borrowers.
  • Pros: Direct impact, empowers individuals, focuses on sustainable development, high repayment rate.
  • Cons: Not a direct donation platform. loans, not grants.

• Patreon

  • Key Features: Membership platform for creators to get paid by their fans. Can be used by educational content creators, artists, or organizations producing beneficial content.
  • Average Price: Tiered pricing plans for creators 5-12% of earnings plus payment processing fees.
  • Pros: Recurring income, direct community engagement, supports creative and educational endeavors.
  • Cons: Requires consistent content creation, best for individuals or small organizations with a following.

• Amazon Smile Check current availability and terms

  

  • Key Features: Previously, Amazon would donate a portion of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice. While the program has evolved, exploring direct charitable giving through established platforms is always an option.
  • Average Price: N/A donation by Amazon.
  • Pros: Easy way to support charities through everyday purchases.
  • Cons: The program’s availability and terms can change. direct donations are often more impactful. Always verify current offerings for passive donation programs.

Bee-ethical.com Review & First Look

Bee-ethical.com positions itself as a specialist in lottery management, aiming to serve charitable organizations.

The website’s primary message revolves around “Raising the bar in lottery management” and “Accelerating fundraising revenues.” They highlight “creating inspiring content,” “engaging communities,” and ultimately, “maximising their impact” for their charitable partners.

While these goals sound commendable on the surface, a deeper look reveals that their core service is centered on operating lotteries.

Lotteries, by definition, involve chance and the possibility of winning or losing money, classifying them as a form of gambling.

From an ethical perspective, especially concerning Islamic principles, gambling is strictly prohibited due to its unpredictable nature, the potential for financial ruin, and the encouragement of relying on chance rather than effort and legitimate means of earning.

The website mentions “BeeSMART” for exceptional lottery management software and “ComBee” as their lottery software, reinforcing their reliance on this mechanism.

They also claim significant success, stating, “Our software has enabled financial support to be provided to more than 430 charities.

We are proud that our partners are raising over a million pounds every month using our lottery platforms and unique marketing tools.” While these statistics showcase their operational scale within the lottery industry, they do not mitigate the inherent ethical concerns surrounding the nature of their service.

Engaging with platforms that facilitate gambling, even for charitable purposes, is not advisable.

What is Bee-ethical.com?

Bee-ethical.com is a business that provides lottery management services and software to charitable organizations. Swisswatchspares.com Review

Their primary goal is to help these organizations raise funds through the creation, management, and marketing of bespoke lottery campaigns.

They offer a full suite of services, from the initial concept development to digital marketing strategies designed to maximize lottery participation and revenue.

• Core Service: Lottery management for charities.
• Tools/Platforms: “BeeSMART” for comprehensive lottery management and “ComBee” software.
• Target Audience: Charitable organizations and non-profits seeking fundraising solutions.
• Stated Impact: Claim to have helped over 430 charities raise more than £1 million monthly.

The website’s homepage emphasizes their “record-breaking digital strategies” and how they have “challenged traditional third sector thinking” in fundraising.

However, the fundamental ethical concern remains: the reliance on lotteries as the primary fundraising mechanism.

Bee-ethical.com Features: Facilitating Questionable Fundraising

Bee-ethical.com offers a range of features designed to streamline the operation of lotteries for charitable entities.

These features, while technologically advanced and seemingly efficient, are all geared towards optimizing a practice that raises significant ethical red flags.

• Bespoke Lottery Campaigns: They offer a full service from “lottery concept to management and marketing,” suggesting a tailored approach to each client’s needs. This means they assist charities in designing and running custom lottery programs.
• Digital Marketing Expertise: The website highlights their “record-breaking digital strategies” to “transform your online performance, accelerate awareness, change more lives.” This implies a strong focus on online promotion to maximize lottery participation, which can inadvertently draw more people into a gambling-like activity.
• Proprietary Software BeeSMART & ComBee:
  • BeeSMART: Described as “Exceptional lottery management software at ethical prices.” The term “ethical prices” attempts to align with their “Bee-ethical” name, but it refers to pricing rather than the ethical nature of the service itself. This software likely handles player registration, ticket sales, prize draws, and data management.
  • ComBee: Another piece of their lottery software suite. The exact distinction from BeeSMART isn’t explicitly detailed on the homepage, but it reinforces their deep involvement in lottery technology.
• Community Lottery Platform: They position themselves as providing “the community lottery platform that will transform your fundraising outlook,” suggesting a focus on engaging local communities through lottery participation.
• Success Metrics and Testimonials: The site proudly displays statistics like supporting “more than 430 charities” and enabling them to raise “over a million pounds every month.” They also offer to “Hear more from those we’ve helped,” indicating a section for success stories or testimonials. While these metrics demonstrate their effectiveness in the lottery industry, they do not validate the ethical permissibility of their core activity.

These features collectively illustrate a sophisticated operation dedicated to optimizing lottery mechanisms.

From an ethical standpoint, the more efficient and widespread a lottery becomes, the greater its potential to draw individuals into a financially precarious and ethically questionable activity.

Bee-ethical.com Pros & Cons: An Ethical Perspective

When evaluating Bee-ethical.com, it’s crucial to look beyond the surface claims of charitable support and analyze the ethical implications of their primary service: lottery management.

While they offer certain operational benefits, these are overshadowed by the inherent ethical concerns from an Islamic viewpoint. Unistudentstorage.com Review

Cons Primary Focus due to Ethical Concerns

Given the nature of the service, the “cons” heavily outweigh any perceived “pros” from an ethical perspective.

• Involvement in Gambling: The fundamental and overriding concern is that Bee-ethical.com facilitates lotteries, which are a form of gambling. Gambling is prohibited due to:
  • Uncertainty Gharar: Participants put money down without certainty of return, relying purely on chance.
  • Unjust Enrichment: Wealth is transferred from one party to another without a fair exchange of goods or services or legitimate effort.
  • Potential for Addiction and Financial Ruin: Gambling can lead to addiction, debt, and severe financial hardship for individuals and families.
  • Promotes Laziness: Encourages reliance on luck rather than hard work and legitimate means of earning.
• Exploitation of Hope: Lotteries often appeal to individuals’ hopes for quick wealth, potentially exploiting vulnerable populations seeking financial relief.
• Misguided Charity: While the funds raised might go to charitable causes, the means by which they are acquired are ethically questionable. It’s akin to “the end justifying the means,” which is not permissible in ethical frameworks.
• Normalizes Prohibited Activities: By promoting lotteries, even for “ethical prices” or for “good causes,” the platform contributes to normalizing a prohibited activity within society.
• Lack of Transparency Ethical Framework: While the website is transparent about its business model, it lacks transparency regarding the ethical implications of gambling itself. There’s no acknowledgment of the harm or impermissibility associated with lotteries from a religious or truly ethical standpoint.

Limited “Pros” from a purely operational, non-ethical view

If one were to ignore the ethical considerations and solely look at the operational aspects, the following points might be considered “pros” by some, though they are heavily qualified by the overarching ethical issues:

• Effective Fundraising for Charities Operationally: The company claims to have helped charities raise significant funds over £1 million monthly for 430+ charities. From a purely operational standpoint, they appear to be effective in their niche.
• Streamlined Management: Their bespoke campaigns and specialized software BeeSMART, ComBee suggest an efficient system for managing lottery operations.
• Digital Marketing Prowess: Their emphasis on “record-breaking digital strategies” indicates they are adept at promoting their services and, by extension, the lotteries they manage.
• “Ethical Prices”: The mention of “ethical prices” for their software suggests a commitment to fair business dealings within their industry, though this does not extend to the ethical nature of the industry itself.

It is crucial to reiterate that these “pros” are purely operational and do not override the fundamental ethical issues associated with gambling. For individuals and organizations seeking ethical solutions, Bee-ethical.com’s services present a significant conflict.

Bee-ethical.com Alternatives: Ethical Fundraising Solutions

Given the ethical concerns surrounding Bee-ethical.com’s lottery-based fundraising, it’s imperative to explore alternatives that align with ethical principles, particularly those emphasizing legitimate and transparent means of acquiring wealth and supporting charitable causes.

These alternatives focus on direct donations, value-based exchange, and interest-free financial mechanisms.

*   Overview: A global crowdfunding platform specifically designed for the Muslim community and social good projects. It facilitates campaigns for various causes, including humanitarian aid, education, community development, and zakat-eligible projects. It's built on ethical principles of transparency and legitimate giving.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Directly addresses the need for fundraising for charitable causes without resorting to ethically questionable methods. It provides a structured platform for individuals and organizations to raise funds through direct donations, which is a permissible and encouraged form of charity. Its focus on Islamic principles ensures compliance with ethical guidelines.

*   Overview: A widely recognized and accessible crowdfunding platform that allows individuals and organizations to raise money for various causes. While not specifically Islamic, its charity-focused branch enables legitimate donation-based fundraising.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Provides a broad reach and a trusted platform for direct donations. It's a straightforward way for charities to solicit funds based on the merit of their cause, relying on voluntary contributions rather than chance.

*   Overview: A popular UK-based online fundraising platform primarily for charities and individuals raising money for charitable purposes. It offers tools for direct donations, event fundraising, and peer-to-peer campaigns.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Similar to GoFundMe, it provides a well-established and secure platform for legitimate charitable giving. It enables charities to appeal directly to donors and encourages voluntary contributions.

*   Overview: An all-in-one fundraising platform designed for non-profits, offering tools for donation pages, events, auctions, and peer-to-peer fundraising. They emphasize a free core platform with clear transaction fees.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Offers diverse fundraising mechanisms that can be implemented ethically, such as direct donations, silent auctions where goods/services are exchanged, or ticket sales for events. It avoids any element of gambling or chance.

*   Overview: A non-profit organization that allows people to lend money via the internet to low-income entrepreneurs and students in over 70 countries. While not a direct donation platform, it supports economic empowerment through interest-free for lenders micro-lending.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Embodies principles of ethical finance by facilitating productive investment and empowering individuals to earn a livelihood. It promotes self-sufficiency and economic growth rather than reliance on chance.

*   Overview: A membership platform that allows creators to run a subscription content service. While primarily for individual creators, it can be utilized by educational or Dawah inviting to Islam organizations to generate recurring income from supporters who value their content or services.
*   Why it's a great alternative: Funds are generated through a value-exchange model, where supporters pay for access to content or services. This is a legitimate form of income and support, free from any gambling elements.

• Direct Partnership & Sponsorship Models
  • Overview: Many charities engage directly with corporations, wealthy individuals, or community groups to secure sponsorships, grants, or large donations. This often involves clear proposals, reporting, and mutual benefit e.g., brand association for corporate sponsors.
  • Why it’s a great alternative: This approach relies on direct, transparent financial contributions without any elements of chance or exploitation. It fosters long-term relationships and allows for clear accountability of funds.

These alternatives provide robust, ethical pathways for organizations to raise funds and for individuals to contribute to causes they believe in, aligning with principles of fair exchange, transparency, and productive economic activity, rather than relying on the uncertain and ethically problematic nature of lotteries.

How to Avoid Unethical Platforms and Schemes

Many platforms, despite presenting themselves with a benevolent façade, may employ mechanisms that are fundamentally questionable from an ethical standpoint.

Here’s how to safeguard your intentions and resources.

Understanding the Red Flags in “Fundraising”

It’s crucial to distinguish between legitimate fundraising and schemes that exploit human desires for quick gains. The devil is often in the details of how the funds are generated or distributed.

• Chance-Based Mechanisms: Any fundraising model that heavily relies on chance, such as lotteries, raffles where money is paid for a chance to win, or games of pure luck, should be a major red flag. Legitimate fundraising involves direct donations, sale of goods/services, or sponsorship based on merit and value.
• “Win Big” or “Get Rich Quick” Promises: Be wary of platforms that emphasize the potential for participants to “win big” or achieve disproportionate returns on small investments. This often points to speculative or gambling-like activities.
• Lack of Clear Value Exchange: In ethical transactions, there’s a clear exchange of value—either a direct donation for a charitable cause, a fair price for a product or service, or a legitimate return on a productive investment. If the core mechanism doesn’t involve this clear exchange, proceed with caution.
• Opaque Financial Structures: While not directly applicable to Bee-ethical.com’s transparent lottery model, a general rule is to avoid any platform where the financial flow or the business model is unnecessarily complex or difficult to understand.
• “Ethical” Branding without Substance: A name like “Bee-ethical.com” can be misleading. Always look beyond the branding to the actual services offered. Does the “ethical” claim apply to the means of operation, or just superficial aspects like pricing or charitable beneficiaries?

Due Diligence: Your Ethical Shield

Before engaging with any online platform, especially those involving financial transactions or charitable giving, perform rigorous due diligence. Countrystoredirect.com Review

• Research the Core Service: Don’t just read the mission statement. Deep-dive into how the platform operates. For Bee-ethical.com, the core service is lottery management. Understanding this immediately raises ethical questions.
• Check Regulatory Compliance: For financial platforms, verify if they are regulated by relevant authorities e.g., financial conduct authorities. For charities, check if they are registered with appropriate charity commissions or government bodies. Search for “Bee-ethical companies house” to see their registration status, although registration doesn’t equate to ethical permissibility from a religious standpoint.
• Seek Independent Reviews: Look for reviews from reputable sources, independent financial advisors, or ethical consumer guides. Be critical of reviews found directly on the platform’s site, as they are often curated.
• Understand the Revenue Model: How does the platform generate revenue for itself and its partners? If the revenue stream relies on activities like gambling, interest riba, or other prohibited means, steer clear.
• Consult Ethical Guidelines: For those adhering to specific ethical or religious frameworks, consult relevant scholarly opinions or guidelines. For instance, in Islam, prohibitions against gambling maysir and interest riba are clear.

By applying these critical lenses, individuals and organizations can make informed decisions and ensure their participation in the digital economy aligns with their ethical convictions, steering clear of platforms that, despite their marketing, engage in problematic practices.

Understanding the Legal and Ethical Landscape of Lotteries

Lotteries occupy a complex space where legality often diverges from ethical and religious permissibility.

While many governments legalize and regulate lotteries, primarily to raise revenue for public services or charities, this legal status does not automatically translate to ethical acceptance, particularly within frameworks like Islamic finance.

Legal Frameworks and Government Involvement

Globally, lotteries are a significant source of government revenue.

In the UK, for example, the National Lottery is regulated by the Gambling Commission, and a substantial portion of its proceeds goes to “good causes.” Similarly, in the US, state lotteries fund education, public services, and other initiatives.

• Regulation and Licensing: Governments establish regulatory bodies e.g., Gambling Commission in the UK, state lottery commissions in the US to oversee lottery operations, ensuring fairness, preventing fraud, and managing the distribution of funds. These bodies typically grant licenses to operators like Bee-ethical.com.
• Revenue Generation: A primary reason for legalizing lotteries is their ability to generate substantial tax revenue or direct funding for public projects.
• Charitable Contribution: Many legal frameworks mandate that a percentage of lottery proceeds go to charitable causes. This is the angle Bee-ethical.com emphasizes, positioning themselves as facilitators for charities.

While legal, this governmental endorsement of lotteries often overlooks the social and ethical consequences.

The argument is often made that if people are going to gamble, it’s better for it to be regulated and for some of the money to go to good causes.

However, this doesn’t address the underlying ethical concerns of gambling itself.

The Ethical and Religious Discrepancy

Despite their legal status and charitable contributions, lotteries pose significant ethical challenges:

• Gambling Nature: Fundamentally, a lottery involves paying money for a chance to win a prize, where the outcome is determined by luck. This is the definition of gambling.
• Social Impact:
  • Addiction: Lotteries, like other forms of gambling, can be addictive, leading to compulsive behavior and severe financial distress for individuals and families.
  • Poverty Traps: They disproportionately affect lower-income individuals who may view lotteries as a desperate chance for financial escape, often exacerbating their economic hardship.
  • Misallocation of Resources: Money spent on lottery tickets could be invested in productive assets, saved, or directly donated to charities without the element of chance.
• Islamic Perspective: In Islam, gambling Maysir is explicitly forbidden. The Quran states: “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, stone altars , and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” Quran 5:90. This prohibition is absolute, regardless of whether the proceeds go to charity. The means justify the ends in Islamic ethics. a good outcome charity cannot legitimize a prohibited means gambling.

Therefore, while Bee-ethical.com operates within legal frameworks, its services fundamentally clash with a strong ethical stance against gambling. Bikemastersuk.com Review

The legal status of lotteries does not diminish the ethical imperative to avoid them and seek alternative, permissible means of fundraising and wealth generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bee-ethical.com primarily known for?

Bee-ethical.com is primarily known for providing lottery management services and software to charitable organizations, helping them to raise funds through the operation of bespoke lottery campaigns.

Is Bee-ethical.com a legitimate company?

Yes, based on the provided text, Bee-ethical.com appears to be a legitimate registered company, indicated by mentions implying its presence on “companies house.” However, its legitimacy as a business does not equate to ethical permissibility of its services from an ethical standpoint.

What kind of services does Bee-ethical.com offer?

Bee-ethical.com offers comprehensive lottery management services, including lottery concept development, digital marketing for lottery campaigns, and proprietary software like BeeSMART and ComBee for managing lottery operations.

How does Bee-ethical.com claim to help charities?

Bee-ethical.com claims to help charities by accelerating their fundraising revenues through lottery platforms, enabling them to raise significant funds, with reported figures of over £1 million monthly for more than 430 charities.

What are Bee-ethical.com’s main software products?

Bee-ethical.com’s main software products mentioned are BeeSMART, described as “exceptional lottery management software at ethical prices,” and ComBee, another related lottery software.

Is using Bee-ethical.com for fundraising ethically sound?

From an ethical standpoint, particularly concerning Islamic principles, using Bee-ethical.com for fundraising is not sound because its core service involves facilitating lotteries, which are a form of gambling and are prohibited due to their inherent uncertainty and potential for harm.

What are the ethical concerns with lotteries from an Islamic perspective?

Lotteries are considered a form of gambling Maysir in Islam, which is forbidden due to its reliance on chance, the unjust acquisition of wealth, potential for addiction, and its negative impact on individuals and society.

Can charities use lotteries to raise funds ethically?

No, from an ethical standpoint, particularly in Islam, the means of fundraising are as important as the end.

Even if funds go to charity, generating them through gambling lottery is considered impermissible. Aimarketltd.com Review

What are some ethical alternatives to lotteries for charity fundraising?

Ethical alternatives include direct donations through crowdfunding platforms like LaunchGood or GoFundMe, sponsorship models, direct charitable giving, transparent events where value is exchanged e.g., ethical auctions, and productive investments.

Does Bee-ethical.com mention “ethical prices” for its services?

Yes, Bee-ethical.com mentions offering “exceptional lottery management software at ethical prices,” which refers to their pricing strategy rather than the inherent ethical nature of the lottery business itself.

How many charities has Bee-ethical.com reportedly helped?

Bee-ethical.com reports that its software has enabled financial support for more than 430 charities.

What is the reported monthly fundraising amount facilitated by Bee-ethical.com?

Bee-ethical.com states that its partners are raising over a million pounds every month using their lottery platforms and unique marketing tools.

Does Bee-ethical.com offer digital marketing services?

Yes, Bee-ethical.com highlights its “record-breaking digital strategies” to transform online performance and accelerate awareness for its clients’ lottery campaigns.

What is a “bespoke lottery campaign” as offered by Bee-ethical.com?

A “bespoke lottery campaign” means Bee-ethical.com supports charities in building a customized revenue model, from lottery concept to management and marketing, tailored to their specific needs.

Does Bee-ethical.com provide details on how to cancel subscriptions or free trials?

Based on the provided homepage text, there is no explicit information or links detailing how to cancel subscriptions or free trials for Bee-ethical.com’s services.

This information would typically be found in a dedicated “Terms and Conditions” or “FAQ” section.

Is Bee-ethical.com suitable for all types of organizations?

No, Bee-ethical.com is suitable only for organizations willing to engage in lottery-based fundraising.

It is not suitable for organizations that adhere to strict ethical guidelines against gambling. Ranobelib.me Review

Does Bee-ethical.com have testimonials from clients?

Yes, the website mentions “Hear more from those we’ve helped,” indicating that they feature testimonials or success stories from their partner charities.

What kind of cookies does Bee-ethical.com use on its website?

Bee-ethical.com uses various types of cookies, including necessary, functional, performance, analytics, and advertisement cookies, to improve user experience and remember preferences, as detailed in their cookie consent policy.

Where can I find more information about Bee-ethical.com’s company background?

The website mentions “More about us” with a link to bee-ethical.com/about/, which would likely contain more detailed company background information.

The phrase “bee ethical companies house” also suggests they are a registered entity.

How transparent is Bee-ethical.com about its services?

Bee-ethical.com is transparent about its services as a lottery management provider.

However, it lacks transparency regarding the ethical implications of operating lotteries themselves.