The California State Lottery, also known as the California Lottery, began on November 6, 1984, after California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 voters passed Proposition 37, the California State Lottery Act of 1984, authorizing the creation of a lottery

Lottery

A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...

. The first tickets were purchased on October 3, 1985.

The minimum age to purchase or redeem California Lottery tickets is 18.
The California State Lottery Act of 1984 was intended to provide more money to schools without imposing extra tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

es.