If everybody quit playing the lottery and gambling would those states go broke?

Question

If everybody quit playing the lottery and gambling would those states go broke?

Answer 1

No, In GA all the lottery proceeds are spent on education funding (supposedly) and if there were no players the State would be fine. As far as other gambling is concerned, I think the State would just put more tax to make up the difference

Answer 2

No, the proceeds from most state lotteries go to their senior citizen populations.  If anything, you would be taking funding away from senior citizen programs.  Many lottery commercials end by saying something along the lines of "proceeds benefit older Pennsylvanians".

Answer 3

First of all I dont think that would EVER happen. Secondly before our country was obsessed with gambling and the lottery, most states did just fine. And this was only ten or so years ago that all this Indian gaming took off. Lottery revenues arent that big a chunk of state revenue anyway.

Answer 4

No.  They would simply put some other kind of tax up to make up the difference.  Perhaps sales tax would go up 4% or something.

They are going to get their money one way or another.  The nice thing about gambling is it is a voluntary tax.  People CHOOSE to give their money to the government, and that means lower taxes for everyone else.