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September/October 2016 // PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL //
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new gallup poll says that
about half of americans
play state lotteries
That is down from the 57% who said
they played the state lottery in 1996
and 1999. And that decline is even in
spite of the fact that the number of
states which grew from 38 states to 44
states. And of those who play, the poll
indicates that 40% of the players are
“lower-income” and 53% are “upper-
income.” 11% of the lower-income
say they sometimes gamble more than
they should. Americans whose annual
household income is less than $36,000
per year were substantially less likely
than higher-income Americans to say
they have purchased a state lottery
ticket within the past year. Less than
half of Americans (47%) with a high-
school diploma or less say they have
purchased a state lottery ticket. That
is lower than the 53% of Americans
with some college, as well as those
whose highest education is a college
degree, who say they have bought a
state lottery ticket. These player data
are very similar to the results of previ-
ous Gallup studies conducted in 1999,
2004, and 2007. In each of those
three years, higher-income Americans
were more likely than lower-income
Americans to say they gambled.
Further, playing a state lottery is the
most popular of 11 common gambling
activities measured in Gallup’s latest
update on gambling behavior, with
barely a quarter of Americans report-
ing engaging in the second-most-
popular mode of gambling—visiting a
casino (26%).
casino giant caesars
entrainment: bankruptcy
laws being amended to
favor powerful private
equity firms?
Last December, Sen. Harry Reid tried
tacking an amendment onto an omni-
bus spending bill that would have ret-
roactively shielded two private equity
firms, Apollo Global Management and
TPG Capital, from junior bondholder
claims related to the bankruptcy of
casino chain Caesars.
ppa, pokerstars opposing
california web poker bill
Once supporters of the legislation, the
Poker Players Alliance and a coalition
formed by PokerStars and its brick-
and-mortar partners in California
have respectively issued statements
opposing the latest changes to a
bill in Sacramento that would legal-
ize, regulate and tax online poker
sites that receive a license from the
state. The PPA appears to be throw-
ing in with PokerStars in the fight
to stop lawmakers from penalizing
the operators which were in viola-
tion of the law. According to a state-
ment from the PPA,
“an examination
of the proposed amendments reveal that
it is actually a lifetime ban.”
Litiga-
tion that may result from this dispute
could cause further delays to passing
and implementing an online poker
bill should it become law. California
is the flashpoint for many of these on-
line gaming issues because it is such a
big and active online gaming market.
‘keep the money in
nebraska’ continues push
for legalizing casino and
poker industry
Lottery and horse-racing are the
only games-of-chance that is allowed
in Nebraska. But there is an on-
going campaign by a group called
‘Keep the Money in Nebraska’ to
push for new gaming laws that will
allow brick & mortar casinos and
poker rooms to operate in the state.
Nebraska does permit the lottery,
horse racing and Keno but does not
allow video gaming machines.
The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
which owns Ho-Chunk Inc is the
biggest financial backer for ‘Keep the
Money in Nebraska’ and helped the
group to raise around $1.25 million
for its campaign. Should legislators
make amendments to the state gaming
laws, the tribe will look to reopen its
Atokad Downs race track which shut-
down in 2012, and develop a casino
on the property.
Mississippi: Lottery considered
during 2016 session, but only fantasy
sports survives
A proposal to establish a lottery in
Mississippi was defeated during the
final days of the 2016 legislative ses-
sion. The bill allowing the playing of
fantasy sports was approved and is
now pending Gov. Phil Bryant’s sig-
nature. Only six states in the nation
do not have a lottery.
Online Fantasy Sports
Contests For Money
Asked To Cease
In Delaware
The Delaware Department of Justice
formally notified DraftKings, Inc.,
FanDuel, Inc., and Yahoo! Inc. that
online fantasy sports activities are not
permitted under Delaware law. DOJ
attorneys determined that online fan-
tasy contests that involve payment for
playing and monetary rewards consti-
tute gambling because chance, as op-
posed to skill, is the dominant factor
in the outcome of these contests. An
online fantasy sports contestant selects
fantasy players and teams, but has
no role in how these players actually
perform once the real-life games or
events occur. This is why chance—and
not skill—is the dominant factor in
online fantasy sports contests and why
these contests are illegal in Delaware.
As games of chance, these contests are
lotteries that must be operated under
the control of the State or permitted
through appropriate and specific legis-
lation, otherwise they are illegal under
Delaware law.
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