Shocking No One, Las Vegas Wants Lottery Says Poll
On Tuesday night, a lucky lottery player in New Jersey matched all of the numbers in the Mega Millions nation lottery. Before taxes, they will have won over $1.1 billion. Lucky them! Friday’s Powerball jackpot is up to $935 million. Super! Unfortunately here in Nevada, we can’t play any of these games. A new poll from Noble Predictive Insights shows that Las Vegas wants lottery games, and they want them now.
Over 800 registered voters were polled, showing universal support for a Nevada state lottery across party lines. 75 percent of respondents voted in favor while only 13 percent opposed.
Las Vegas Wants Lottery Jackpots, But It Is Constitutionally Banned
Obviously very few in Nevada are clutching their pearls over gambling. There are casinos dotted all across the valley. From Dotty’s to Durango, Mandalay to Santa Fe, there is no lack of places to game. Hell, you can’t walk into a grocery store or 7-Eleven without being tempted to try your luck. But a scratch-off? A quick pick? Never! That’s a sucker bet!
Well, fact of the matter is a state lottery is banned in the Nevada State Constitution. That means a change to that document, which is a heck of an ordeal. After an initial vote in the 2023 Legislature, the vote will again come up in Carson City in 2025. If that passes, then the voters will get a chance to strike the ban in the 2026 general election as a ballot measure.
We have talked about the need for a state lottery before. States like Massachusetts are quite often making more for their states than the relatively low gaming tax revenue does for the state of Nevada. Marijuana legalization didn’t bring the windfall to schools as was once advertised.
While the odds of winning a massive national jackpot are statistically incredibly low, it is a game of chance and choice. Untold amounts of Nevada’s money ends up in California and Arizona. Now it appears Las Vegas wants lottery here in town and wants to keep the money at home (and stop driving to the state line).
The poll also had some fascinating results regarding taxing diapers, protecting abortion and more. Read the results of their poll for the full rundown.