Of all the forms of gambling that Nevada has to offer, a lottery is not among them—the Silver State is one of five in the U.S. without one, and the powerful lobbying of the casino industry has negated dozens of legalization attempts over the years.
But sentiment appears to be shifting more than ever, and a recent poll from Noble Predictive Insights (NPI) suggests that state voters would welcome the chance to bring a lottery to the state.
The poll, which was conducted in late February and early March and included 829 registered voters, showed that 75 percent were in favor of legalization, with 13 percent opposing and 12 percent with no opinion.
When sorted by political affiliation, 82 percent of Democrats supported a lottery along with 74 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of independents.
NPI estimated a margin of error of 3.4 percent.
Lotteries have been outlawed in Nevada since it became a state in 1864, but last year, a legalization bill (AJR5) from former Assemblyman Cameron “C.H.” Miller became the first to ever pass a legislative session.
If it clears the legislature again next year, it will appear on the ballot in 2026.
