Oregon Public Broadcasting

This recession has hit Oregon’s lottery and gambling revenue harder than any other state.

A recent study from the Rockefeller Institute for Government in New York finds the state’s lottery revenue dropped more than 15-percent in the past year.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

Oregon's annual lottery revenue was down by $100 million.

Lucy Dadayan authored the report. She says the drop in Oregon was a combination of the recession and the state’s smoking ban.

Lucy Dadayan: “The data shows that when a smoking bank goes into effect, there is a downturn for a while.”

Josh Harwood: “This is an apples-to-oranges study.”

Josh Harwood is a senior economist with the state. He says the smoking ban didn’t help, but says the real culprit is video poker – the type of gambling that Oregon relies on.

Josh Harwood: “People go out and spend entertainment dollars on it, at bars and restaurants. As a result, when times are good and people are flush with money, they may be inclined to use some of their discretionary income on that entertainment.”

The report finds that Oregonians spend one-half percent of their income on gambling – that’s the fifth highest in the country.