The National Lottery: what do you think of it?

The National Lottery is celebrating its 15th birthday today.

There were many controversies in the run up to its launch. Would it encourage gambling and result in more problems of gambling addiction? Would it be a welcome source of funds for good causes or would it provide an excuse for government to cut its funding? Would the profits for the operators dwarf the money given to good causes? Would it be a welcome new source of revenue for local shops? And so on.

So, fifteen years on: what do you think?