November may be somewhat distant, but it still feels like election season.
This year’s Election Day will include a number of races around the country that could have an impact on the lottery industry.
A handful of them could affect states with online lotteries and which new states might be in the mix to expand.
Other races could see the few states that don’t even have a retail lottery finally change course.
Election Day 2024 in various states could have other gambling implications for 2025 and beyond. Four states will decide on new governors who could play a role in potential expansion, while other gambling issues, including new casinos and re-election battles for key legislators, are on the ballot.
Here’s a look at the key races to watch out for come November when it comes impacting lotteries.
Ohio state representative races could lead to iLottery
One state that has legislators looking to establish an iLottery is Ohio.
A detailed report on adding an online lottery was published in July. The report included testimony from multiple members of the state General Assembly who were in favor.
Within the report, three Republican representatives came out strongly in support of iLottery and iGaming. They were Jay Edwards (R-District 94), Jeff LaRe (R-District 73), and Cindy Abrams (R-District 29).
Rep. Edwards has reached his term limit and won’t be up for re-election in 2024.
Rep. LaRe is listed for re-election. He is running against the Democratic nominee Michael Scarmack.
Rep. Abrams is also up for re-election. She’s against Democrat Joe Salvato and independent Liz Anderson for the seat.
Senator Nathan Manning, who co-chaired the commission, has introduced a Senate bill in the past to legalize online lottery. It didn’t have enough support from the House to advance. Maintaining support from LaRe and Abrams will be important for Ohio to advance the iLottery discussion further in 2025.
Addabbo Senate seat at stake in New York
New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-District 15) has strongly supported expanding gaming in the state.
That includes iLottery.
Addabbo is chair of the Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee in New York and introduced Senate Bill 8185 last January in hopes of bringing iGaming and an online lottery to the state.
Without much support, Addabbo shifted his focus to an online poker bill in May. However, he stated that he will continue to pursue an online lottery in the future.
Addabbo has his Senate seat up for grabs in the November election.
He is up against Danniel Maio of the Conservative Party. Addabbo defeated Maio in the 2022 election, getting 57.2% of the vote to Maio’s 42.6%.
In fact, all 63 New York Senate seats are up for a vote this year.
Currently, the makeup of the state Senate is 41-21 in favor of Democrats, with one seat currently vacant.
Maryland state lawmakers staying put
During the 2024 legislative session, House Bill 1218 was introduced in Maryland that would seek legalization of an online lottery.
The bill never got past the House or moved on to the Senate, even though iGaming legislation did advance out of the state House.
While federal House and Senate seats are up for grabs in Maryland this November, no state seats are on the ballot.
In order for an online lottery to make progress, current lawmakers would need to change their attitude toward the matter.
Alabama Senate not changing, but lottery still being pushed
Alabama was close to establishing a lottery for its residents in 2024.
A proposed gaming bill came up one vote shy in the Senate of advancing to the public. A total of 21 votes were needed, but the final tally was 20-15 in favor.
Now, legislators are discussing putting lottery in a standalone bill for 2025, one many believe would reach a public vote.
No Senators are up for re-election in 2024. There is just one House seat on the line this November, but it shouldn’t have an impact on the lottery outcome.
The gaming bill received a House vote of 72-29 in favor of advancement. Future lottery bills are expected to see similar results.
Utah Lottery proponent Birkeland up for re-election
Rep. Kera Birkeland (R-District 4) has been pushing for the state to adopt a retail lottery. However, her efforts have been met with resistance from some of her peers due to religious motivation.
Any bill or resolution introduced in Utah needs two-thirds support of both the House and Senate.
Her 2024 bill received that support from the House, but not the Senate.
Though Birkeland told PlayiLottery in April that 2027 was a realistic timeline for a Utah Lottery, she plans on introducing another bill in 2025. That is, if she is able to win re-election.
Birkeland is up against the Democratic nomination, Kris Campbell, for her District 4 House of Representatives seat. These two faced off for the same seat in 2022, and Birkeland won, getting 57.7% of the votes.
Should Birkeland prevail, she will look to introduce a bill that would allow for retail lottery sales in just counties that border other states with lotteries.
Even if Birkeland is re-elected, Senate President Stuart Adams is one of the biggest opponents of a lottery. He is serving until 2027.
All Nevada Assembly seats up for grabs as lottery looms
Nevada is another state without a retail lottery legal within its borders.
However, there is plenty of public support for the matter. To establish a lottery, Nevada has to change the state constitution.
In Nevada, a bill altering the constitution needs to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in two legislative sessions to advance. Legislative sessions occur every other year in the state, so nothing can happen with the resolution until February 2025.
Coming into the next legislative year, Nevada could see a lot of change within its state government. All 42 Assembly seats are up for election, as are 10 state Senate spots.
From there, the resolution for a change to the constitution to allow for a lottery would need to pass the Assembly and the Senate in consecutive years. Then, voters would get their voice in 2026.
Photo by Frame Stock Footage via Shutterstock
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