A generation ago, Americans had to seek out places to gamble legally other than Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Now it's difficult to find a place where gambling doesn't invade our homes, work and recreational spaces. Winning state lottery numbers flash across the screen on television at night. Casino billboards beckon drivers on the highways. Office wagering pools are run on who will win the NCAA Basketball Tournament or the Super Bowl.
Internet advertisements urge web surfers to try their hand at card games.
Video gambling machines squawk at customers in restaurants and convenience stores. Pari-mutuel betting, which includes dog racing, horse racing and jai alai, is legal in 42 states. Lotteries are sponsored by 37 states. And casinos operate in 26 states, in forms ranging from riverboats to Native American reservations. A growth industry Two decades ago, state governments almost uniformly served as watchdogs to oppose any form of gambling.