State Lotteries, Commercial Casinos and Public Finance: An Uneasy Relationship Revisited (Again)

Session Title

Session 3-2-C: Lotteries

Presenters

Jeff Dense, Eastern Oregon UniversityFollow

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

30-5-2019 11:00 AM

End Date

30-5-2019 12:25 PM

Disciplines

Public Policy

Abstract

A series of recent structural changes, including the legalization of sports betting and expansion of commercial casinos, have provided a stern challenge to the relative autonomy state lotteries once held over the gambling landscape in the United States. Despite this, lotteries continue to play an essential, albeit often misunderstood, role in public finance. This paper replicates previous (1999,, 2007, 2009, 2011) Gaming Law Review and Economics research efforts to examine the relationship between state lotteries, commercial gaming and public finance. The paper concludes with a series of policy recommendations which can be generalized to the majority of jurisdictions currently operating state lotteries.

Keywords

lotteries, casinos, public finance, public policy, gambling policy

Author Bios

Jeff Dense is Professor of Political Science and Craft Beer Studies at Eastern Oregon University. He is widely considered one of the country's leading authorities on the relationship between state lotteries and public finance. Dr. Dense has provided expert testimony to federal and state government, along with consulting on a range of gambling policy issues in a number of jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Funding Sources

n/a

Competing Interests

n/a