Many conservatives fear a lottery would erode the work ethic and encourage gambling addictions. They also contend a lottery preys on the poor, a sentiment some liberal lawmakers share. Still others argue lottery revenue is unreliable and should not go toward basic government services, such as teaching children. A lottery bill has been filed in the state House, but so far legislators have not debated it. It's a tough issue, though.
People come here with their own ideas and feelings.
And it's not along party lines. Gaming spreads North Carolina is the nation's most populous state without a lottery. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia sponsor a game. Not too long ago, no states in the deeply conservative Southeast held a lottery. In 1988, voters in Florida and Virginia passed lotteries.