Nevada casinos have lobbied hard the past couple of years to try to prevent lawmakers from supporting a measure to introduce a state lottery. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Nevada is one of just five US states without a state lottery. It is an outlier on this list, as Utah, Hawaii, Alaska, and Alabama are among the most restrictive regions for gambling in the country.

The main reason Nevada hasn’t added a lottery despite many attempts over the years is the strong lobbying efforts of the commercial gambling sector, which generates more than $1bn in tax revenue every year.

needs another round of approval before it can become a ballot measure in 2026

Casino companies are now coming together to try to resist the end of the 159-year lottery prohibition. Lottery bill Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (AJR5) received significant support in the House and Senate in 2023. It needs another round of approval before it can become a ballot measure in 2026 though.

The Nevada Resort Association, the gaming industry’s trade and lobbying group, has been working hard to convince lawmakers that a lottery would be bad news since the end of the 2023 legislative session.

They question the estimated $100m annual tax revenue figure and argue that the product would take away from the state’s existing gaming options.

If lobbyists successfully convince lawmakers, they could decide not to hold a hearing for AJR5, which would mean the bill wouldn’t progress out of the committee stage.