To lasso a younger generation of gamblers, study authors suggest increasing the size of lottery payouts and putting more outlets where people are more likely to run across them -- as in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which has become Georgia's top seller of lottery tickets.I doubt that will do much to dilute the greatest concentration of lottery venues, which typically target convenience stores and shops in low-income areas.
I'm intrigued by the finding that the 18-24 year age group gambles least of all, and wondered why. Maybe they still remember enough math to understand why playing the lottery is like investing with Bernie Madoff. Maybe it's because they have less disposable income, or dispose more of it on things that lead to more immediate gratification. Maybe it's because they know they can fall back on their parents, and don't yet feel the desperation that fuels gambling by some older adults and makes the lottery such a predator on the poor.
I'm not sure why younger people play the lottery less, but I am certain that persuading them to gamble more is a poor strategy for states that care about their people's future.
[Note: the guys at Baptist Planet, more skilled at web searches than I am, took a cue from this blog to dig up links to the studies. You can check them out here.]
5 comments:
The suggestion that 18-24 year-olds should gamble more is simply irresponsible. I don't think gambling should be banned but any attempt to "grab" younger gamblers who havelittle to no disposal income is unwise. Now is the time when young people (like myself, 23)
are learning and equipping financial habits. Is there no concern for that? It looks like the
American economy refuses to learn its lessons: we need to correct how we spend and save our money, how we think about money; that begins with my generation. Funny enough the North Carolina lottery helps fund education,
like a lot of other state lotteries. Can you say "irony"?
Odd they would want to market education (schools) to the 18-24 crowd. I wonder if that may play a part in it...marketing education benefits to 18-24 year olds is like offering hamburgers to people coming out of McDonald's. They have already been through the system themselves and have no direct relation to schools (unless they happen to have a kindergarten or first grade student...which would be a small minority).
I think the explanation is in the instant gratification. Scratch-off cards are not very exciting and who wants to wait for them to draw the numbers? If my own experience as an 18-24 year old is any indication, the shiny object syndrome has them thinking about other stuff by the time it would be time to draw the numbers.
I'm not sure why younger people play the lottery less, but I am certain that persuading them to gamble more is a poor strategy for states that care about their people's future. Personally, I think states that put so much into lotteries care more about making money than they do anyone's future, except maybe the legislators and lobbyists that push for and control the lotto.
Perhaps these younger adults recognize the lack of benefits they received from the lottery while they were in school. My children are still required to supply things like tissues, copy paper, and bottled water for their classes each year. It is telling that the school system (which was supposed to benefit so greatly from this "education lottery") does not receive enough lottery money to purchase these basics.
The Baptist conscience of Alabama, Wayne Flynt, held his nose and came out in support of an education lottery here in this state several years ago.
But now Country Music Giants Randy Owen and George Jones are going for Casino like slot machines under the skirts of a promise of Branson Mo. like "family entertainment centers."
For once the Alabama Baptist and some fundamentalists in the state have the high ground it appears to me.
Looking for our friend Jim Evans with Flynt to add some definition to the current mess in Alabama.
Lot of stuff easily googled up on the matter here.
fox, the "Sweet Home Alabama" bill is even simpler than most people have made it. The Sweet Home Alabama Commission(the ones who have made the commercials with the country music stars) want to legalize bingo machines so that Ronnie Gilley (whose business is the address given for the SHAC on the commercials, if my info is correct) can put them in his Country Crossings attraction (and I'm sure our buddy Milton MacGregor stands to benefit too). Gilley and his benefactors have hidden their agenda pretty well but hopefully the legislature won't fall for it (not holding my breath) but if Montgomery passes it to the people, hopefully the people will shoot it down.
It shouldn't take a lot of moralizing to point out the selfish motivation for the Sweet Home Alabama bill.
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