As it stands, only five of the US’ 50 states have an official state lottery, but recent opinion polling and legislative developments suggest that Nevada may be the next domino to fall.
The Culinary Union, a local union based in Las Vegas and the largest union in Nevada, recently conducted an opinion poll finding that the majority of state residents support the creation of a government-backed lottery.
According to the Union’s poll, 84% of Nevedans are in favour of creating a state lottery and a further 80% would like to see legislative efforts to do so.
The Union believes that a lottery could be useful for funding mental health and youth support services, a sentiment that may be popular among the Nevadan public. Following on from the poll, the Union is calling for the topic to be put to a public vote.
Ted Pappageorge, Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union, said: “The Nevada Legislature must act now and introduce a bill that would amend the Nevada Constitution to allow a state lottery system to be created, hold hearings in the Assembly and Senate, and pass the legislation so that it can go to the ballot and allow voters to ultimately decide.
“Enacting a state lottery is a common-sense solution to help fund youth mental health and public education in our state. Nevadans deserve a chance to vote on this issue – it’s time to let the people decide.”
End of an era in Nevada?
Despite being one of the biggest gambling markets in the US – home of course to the casino hub of Las Vegas as well as other popular destinations like Reno – Nevada has never had a state lottery.
This is partly due to the extensive presence of the casino industry itself, with Nevada gambling’s biggest market incumbents often lobbying against the creation of a lottery due to the competition this would pose.
The Union’s poll suggests that the general public is very aware of this. The poll revealed that 63% of respondents felt that some Democratic politicians who had previously supported the creation of a state lottery changed their stance due to gambling industry lobbying.
Somewhat ironically though, the extent of the casino industry in Nevada has partly contributed to the Culinary Union’s rise as one of the state’s biggest and most influential unions with over 60,000 members – and it is this union which is now calling for a lottery vote.
Public votes in gambling-related matters are also nothing new in the US, with some states having launched regulated betting markets via a public vote with the latest being Missouri while Texas legislators are pushing to hold a similar vote.
Launching a state lottery in Nevada would mean a lot of things – a new competitor to casinos, a new form of entertainment for Nevedans, and a new revenue stream for public funds, to name a few obvious ones.
It would also open the door to further legislative and regulatory debates though, as seen in other states like Texas, where an extensive legislative discussion about retailer integrity and lottery couriers has been underway. In other states like Virginia, Oregon and Michigan, meanwhile, winner anonymity has been a big talking point.