Nevada Lottery Hopes Fade for 2025

A Blocked Path to Legalization

The bill, meant to erase a 159-year ban and put the issue to voters in 2026, needed a second legislative nod after passing both chambers in 2023. Yeager’s call, announced on the final day for committee action, keeps Nevada among five lottery-less states: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah. The decision halts any chance of a 2025 launch.

Yeager cited rocky economic times and steep federal funding cuts as dealbreakers. He also questioned the lottery’s payoff, arguing setup and regulation costs would outweigh revenue.

With Nevada’s gaming industry banking a record $15.6 billion in 2024, the math didn’t add up for him. The move shelves a plan that 76% of Nevadans backed in polls, leaving the state reliant on casinos and sports betting, which handled $8.2 billion last year, for gaming cash.

Why It Fell Apart

AJR5’s collapse wasn’t just about dollars. Nevada’s casino giants, led by the Nevada Resort Association, have long fought lotteries, claiming ticket sales would siphon their profits and threaten jobs as casinos employ 206,000 statewide.

Yeager’s stance aligns with their push, prioritizing slots and tables over scratch-offs. The bill’s failure means restarting the process, a two-session slog that delays any voter say until at least 2029, assuming new bills emerge in 2027.

On the flip side, supporters like the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 saw a missed shot at fresh revenue and jobs. They slammed the block as dodging democracy, noting lotteries in 45 states fund schools and roads.

A Nevada lottery could’ve pulled $100 million yearly, per estimates, dwarfing the state’s $5 million problem gambling budget. Without AJR5, those funds stay out of reach, and casinos keep their grip tight.