Loteria del Crimen, also known as the Lottery of Crime or the Rogues’ Gallery Lottery, was a grimly fascinating game created and played in Mexico City during the 1940s and 1950s. It reflected a society grappling with rising crime rates and a palpable sense of insecurity. Instead of numbers or symbols, the game featured photographs of known criminals, turning the city’s underworld into a macabre form of public entertainment. The premise was simple: players purchased a lottery ticket with a set of criminal photos. Periodically, a winning combination of photos was drawn, and those holding matching tickets won a prize. The game was hugely popular, drawing crowds to kiosks and street corners where tickets were sold. Its success, however, was inextricably linked to the public’s fear of crime and a desire, however vicarious, to participate in the capture and punishment of offenders. The photographs used in the lottery were sourced from police archives, mugshots meticulously collected by law enforcement. These were not always hardened criminals; sometimes, the images depicted petty thieves or individuals suspected of minor offenses. The publication of these photos, often without due process, raised serious ethical concerns about privacy and the presumption of innocence. The lottery effectively turned the accused into public figures, pre-judged and vilified before their guilt was even established in a court of law. Beyond the ethical considerations, the Lottery of Crime presented a complex and controversial commentary on Mexican society. On one hand, it was argued that the game served as a deterrent, potentially discouraging would-be criminals from engaging in illicit activities. The public exposure and notoriety associated with being featured in the lottery could be a significant disincentive. Furthermore, the game arguably fostered a sense of civic engagement, encouraging citizens to be more aware of their surroundings and potentially report suspicious activity to the authorities. On the other hand, critics pointed to the Lottery’s potential to incite vigilantism and mob justice. By publicly identifying individuals as criminals, the game arguably empowered citizens to take the law into their own hands, bypassing the formal legal system. This raised the specter of misidentification, wrongful accusations, and the potential for innocent individuals to be targeted. The Loteria del Crimen eventually faded from popularity and was ultimately banned. Shifting societal attitudes, coupled with growing concerns about its ethical implications and potential for abuse, contributed to its demise. Yet, it remains a compelling and unsettling reminder of a time when public entertainment intersected with anxieties about crime and the limits of justice. It serves as a potent example of how fear can be exploited and how the pursuit of security can sometimes come at the expense of fundamental rights.