Despite its position as the king of US gambling, Nevada is one of just five states without a lottery. While Alabama, Hawaii, Utah, and Alaska are very conservative when it comes to gambling expansion, Nevada has never had a lottery due to the power of the casinos. They don’t want anything to potentially cannibalize their revenues and, as a result, have vehemently lobbied lawmakers over the years when the issue rears its head.
The most recent legislation aiming to introduce a state lottery died on Friday despite getting significant support in the previous session. Both chambers passed AJR5 in 2023, which meant that the public would have voted on the matter next year if it got approval in the 2025 session.
ongoing economic uncertainty tied to President Trump’s tariffs
This did not come to fruition, with the committee deadline day passing on Friday without it progressing. Talking to the Nevada Independent, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager explained the failure, citing ongoing economic uncertainty tied to President Trump’s tariffs and the extensive federal funding cuts as reasons for the bill’s demise.
Polls indicated that the measure had support from locals, with the Nevada Public Opinion Pulse survey conducted in March 2024 finding that 75% of people from both sides of the political aisle supported lottery legalization, with only 13% opposing it.
