Oregon Tries to Increase Lottery and Gambling
The recession has made every state desperate for added cash. Huge deficits and high expenses are causing states to look to gambling taxes as a way of making ends meet. One state that is currently toying with their lottery is Oregon. Oregon, like most states, has had a long time success rate with lotteries. Lotteries are when numbers are called. Each day people bet on what numbers are being called and wager. If they match all numbers, or a set amount of numbers, they win cash prizes.
Unfortunately due to the economy, Oregon is seeing a lull in lottery participants. As a response they have installed 400 slot machines in various bars across the state. The hope is that readily accessible slots will not only spur people to play them, but also extend their wagering to the lottery once again. Director of the Lottery Dale Penn stated that the long-term plan is to install an additional 2,100 games, many of which will replace outdated machines. He added, “We’re real hopeful that we can bring some players back and encourage others to play more.”
The main goal of the move to expand slots is to bring in much needed revenue. The state is projecting a $40 million decrease in revenue from lotteries, as a result of people not spending. Much of the world is in the same position. Businesses need people to start spending again to turn around, but people are still tight-fisted with their money. Many are still recovering from lay-offs, unemployment, foreclosure, and debt. Discretionary spending has been slowly dwindling as the recession has made its way through the economy. And now, though the recession is thought to be mostly over, people are taking a wait-and-see attitude towards returning to their normal spending habits. Spokeswoman for Oregon’s lottery Mary Loftin confirmed this by stating, “The gambling industry as a whole for years was thought to be recession proof, but this recession has changed that view. Across the country, lottery sales are down.
Oregon has also instilled a no-smoking policy for all bars and taverns. This too can eat away at lottery winnings because smokers may be more prone to go to Indian-run casinos, rather than smoke-free environments to gamble. The new slots and video machines cost $30 million to install. Only time will tell if they will be effective at bringing people back to gambling.
