Nevada Gov. opposes lottery bill

Mar 27, 2007, 9:15 am (11 comments)

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Gov. Jim Gibbons said Monday he opposes amending Nevada's Constitution to permit a state lottery.

"I respect recent efforts by some legislators to explore options for new revenue to the state; however, I do not believe it is a proper function of Nevada government to operate a lottery, nor do I think that the state should be in competition with its largest industry," said Gibbons in a prepared statement.

The lottery amendment is in AJR5 introduced last week by Assemblyman Harry Mortenson, D-Las Vegas. It has already been approved by the Assembly. Mortenson told colleagues a lottery could generate anywhere from $50 million to $200 million a year for public schools.

The lottery proposal has been brought up in nearly every session as a way to raise money for education. While it passes the Assembly, it has never made it through the Senate and onto the ballot.

Gibbons said a lottery actually wouldn't generate additional revenues but, rather, shift the source of revenues.

And he said studies show they don't promote economic development.

"Elsewhere, lotteries have proven to be costly and bureaucratic, something I do not believe our citizens want more of in Nevada. I will not, therefore, support any legislation that includes the establishment of a lottery in Nevada."

AJR5 passed by a 29-13 vote last week in the Assembly on a mostly party-line vote. Democrats said it would raise needed money for school materials, while Republicans argued a lottery would target the poor and enable a vice.

The proposal now moves to the state Senate for final legislative action. If it's approved by the Legislature this year and again in 2009, voters in 2010 would have the final say on whether to allow a state lottery.

Nevada Appeal, AP

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OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

The Governor fails to realize that there are actually a lot of folks who wouldn't consider stepping foot inside of a casino to gamble whereas they would be willing to drop a few dollars at a convenience store on a few lottery picks as they are also purchasing gas, drinks, etc.  Personally, I have only been to Las Vegas on two occasions.  The first time I was by myself and did not set foot inside of any of the casinos.  The second time I went with one of my ex's and because the casinos was her thing, I probably spent all of $10 on slots over the course of 3 days.  In a single day, I can easily spend $20 covering all my plays for PB and the associated large jackpot state lottery.  Sounds like Nevada would make more money off of someone like me by having a lottery rather than just its current industry of casinos.  I am sure I am not the only one who "plays" that way.  I am not against gambling obviously.  I just find that I can more easily control my participation playing the lottery than getting involved with slots or table games where the thrill and excitement of the moment can easily make a smart person lose all sense of reasoning (there was a guy here in Illinois who gambled away tens of millions of dollars in Wisconsin and Indiana casinos; due to some pending criminal charges, he was given the option to pay back an amount of money he had been wrongly given from a local bank inexchange for lesser misdemeanor charges; so he went down to a casino in Indiana and at one point he had over $5M in chips and could have walked away, paid back the bank and still had a few mil,  but he continued until he had nothing!  Now he will be going to jail.)  By playing the lottery, I can say that the money I have spent has all come from my earnings.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by OldSchoolPa on Mar 27, 2007

The Governor fails to realize that there are actually a lot of folks who wouldn't consider stepping foot inside of a casino to gamble whereas they would be willing to drop a few dollars at a convenience store on a few lottery picks as they are also purchasing gas, drinks, etc.  Personally, I have only been to Las Vegas on two occasions.  The first time I was by myself and did not set foot inside of any of the casinos.  The second time I went with one of my ex's and because the casinos was her thing, I probably spent all of $10 on slots over the course of 3 days.  In a single day, I can easily spend $20 covering all my plays for PB and the associated large jackpot state lottery.  Sounds like Nevada would make more money off of someone like me by having a lottery rather than just its current industry of casinos.  I am sure I am not the only one who "plays" that way.  I am not against gambling obviously.  I just find that I can more easily control my participation playing the lottery than getting involved with slots or table games where the thrill and excitement of the moment can easily make a smart person lose all sense of reasoning (there was a guy here in Illinois who gambled away tens of millions of dollars in Wisconsin and Indiana casinos; due to some pending criminal charges, he was given the option to pay back an amount of money he had been wrongly given from a local bank inexchange for lesser misdemeanor charges; so he went down to a casino in Indiana and at one point he had over $5M in chips and could have walked away, paid back the bank and still had a few mil,  but he continued until he had nothing!  Now he will be going to jail.)  By playing the lottery, I can say that the money I have spent has all come from my earnings.

"Gibbons said a lottery actually wouldn't generate additional revenues but, rather, shift the source of revenues."

We're talking about Nevada and not states that had horse racing and bingo as the only source of gaming. Basically the governor is saying the people that already are gambling will spend part of their gambling dollars on a lottery and the state will lose money running a lottery.

Do you believe there are not enough people gambling in Nevada so it needs a lottery to entice more?

pumpi76

Something i learn today was that: lotteries have been proven to be costly...I think what is costly is the setting up ticket-spilling machines and the encrypting of those tickets...

"lottery been Bureaucratic?" I don't think so, and i wonder what they mean by that...Unless they mean the "hierarchical" part of it...And about that i believe they are right...The only problem with pick5/pick6 is that is steeply hierarchical....And i wish it was more like "pick4/pick3", where there are multiple winners compared to losers...But i also think what's the point of having something that's not steeply hierarchical like pick3 but is hard or not winneable....One thing we must understand, i consider pick5 if we win it more profitable than pick4....

 

 

"Laura Simpson from Navy Federal Credit Union in Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich.."          "She is so rare..."

Tnplayer805's avatarTnplayer805

Surprise. Surprise

qutgnt

I dont see why they cant add powerball and that is it. How is that a losing proposition?

rdc137

Is this a surprise to anyone? Certainly not me.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Mar 27, 2007

Something i learn today was that: lotteries have been proven to be costly...I think what is costly is the setting up ticket-spilling machines and the encrypting of those tickets...

"lottery been Bureaucratic?" I don't think so, and i wonder what they mean by that...Unless they mean the "hierarchical" part of it...And about that i believe they are right...The only problem with pick5/pick6 is that is steeply hierarchical....And i wish it was more like "pick4/pick3", where there are multiple winners compared to losers...But i also think what's the point of having something that's not steeply hierarchical like pick3 but is hard or not winneable....One thing we must understand, i consider pick5 if we win it more profitable than pick4....

 

 

"Laura Simpson from Navy Federal Credit Union in Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich.."          "She is so rare..."

"Something i learn today was that: lotteries have been proven to be costly...I think what is costly is the setting up ticket-spilling machines and the encrypting of those tickets..."

Operating expences are around 5% of the total sales and bonuses and commissions to lottery agents are about 7%.

"One thing we must understand, i consider pick5 if we win it more profitable than pick4...."

Most Pick-5s (5/39) have a $100,000 jackpot so you would have to bet $20 straight on the Pick-4 to get the same or you would have to win 20 times betting $1 each time. But either way, to have profitability bragging rights, you must win the jackpot. 

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Mar 27, 2007

"Gibbons said a lottery actually wouldn't generate additional revenues but, rather, shift the source of revenues."

We're talking about Nevada and not states that had horse racing and bingo as the only source of gaming. Basically the governor is saying the people that already are gambling will spend part of their gambling dollars on a lottery and the state will lose money running a lottery.

Do you believe there are not enough people gambling in Nevada so it needs a lottery to entice more?

I can't speak to whether or not there are not enough people gambling in Nevada.  I believe it is his opinion and not factual that a lottery would shift the source of revenue.  Case in point:  Most people who go to the casinos have a dollar figure in mind that they are going to wager on whatever game(s) they play.  Or they set up players accounts.  Even those who end up losing all still can leave and pony up some money to buy gas, food, etc.  And to play the lottery, all you need is one or a few of those type of dollars to play.  If I only had $5 in my pocket, I would not be inclined to step into a casino, but I would be inclined to stop by a convenience store and purchase a one dollar QP.  So in that case, Nevada would have gotten zero dollars from me by just having the casinos.  And just to quiet any haters, if I had money in the magnitude that say Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley (guys who do frequent the casinos), I for one would not wager my money in any casinos but I would drop a few hundred dollars at a time on lottery tickets.  Again, I don't analyze the odds of winning...what I do analyze is what setting enables me to stay in control of my spending.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by OldSchoolPa on Mar 29, 2007

I can't speak to whether or not there are not enough people gambling in Nevada.  I believe it is his opinion and not factual that a lottery would shift the source of revenue.  Case in point:  Most people who go to the casinos have a dollar figure in mind that they are going to wager on whatever game(s) they play.  Or they set up players accounts.  Even those who end up losing all still can leave and pony up some money to buy gas, food, etc.  And to play the lottery, all you need is one or a few of those type of dollars to play.  If I only had $5 in my pocket, I would not be inclined to step into a casino, but I would be inclined to stop by a convenience store and purchase a one dollar QP.  So in that case, Nevada would have gotten zero dollars from me by just having the casinos.  And just to quiet any haters, if I had money in the magnitude that say Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley (guys who do frequent the casinos), I for one would not wager my money in any casinos but I would drop a few hundred dollars at a time on lottery tickets.  Again, I don't analyze the odds of winning...what I do analyze is what setting enables me to stay in control of my spending.

"If I only had $5 in my pocket, I would not be inclined to step into a casino, but I would be inclined to stop by a convenience store and purchase a one dollar QP."

The anti-lottery people would love to read that. lol

You don't have to go into a casino in Nevada to gamble. You'll probably walk by a video poker machine at the convenience store buying a QP.

In other states when the lottery proposals went on the state ballot, the race tracks were against it. When casino gambling was on the ballot, the tracks and the lottery partnered up against it. Gaming is supply and demand just like other businesses so the less competition the better.

LOTTOMIKE's avatarLOTTOMIKE

they see every single dollar spent on a lottery as one that could've went in the casino coffers so they are not going to let a lottery happen....ever.

Coin Toss's avatarCoin Toss

They've really got tunnel vision regarding a lottery.

Nevada would be the only lottery state (if they had one) to be in the unique position as having most of their lottery money come from out of state and foreign tourists.

 Tens of millions of vistiors a year and yet the casinos want it all.

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