The evil of it all is that the state advertises its games on television, radio and billboards. Those of you who have WGN on your cable have seen the Lotto balls bouncing about and forming a winning combination. The push for gambling comes from the gaming industry. But the rationale for it comes from legislators who argue that the profits will fund education. Translated, the legislators don't have the strength to raise taxes or transfer money to education from less important expenditures.
Many states now find that the profits are low and the consequences are horrendous.
When the voters repealed the state's constitutional ban on lotteries in 1988, economics had much to do with the decision. Indiana needed para-mutuel horse racing and a lottery to keep up with neighboring states, citizens were told. A lottery would help the state budget and fund education and community development projects. Almost 10 years later, the economics of gambling don't seem so rosy. Bankruptcy rates are at an all-time high.