Oregon Public Broadcasting

Beginning this week, Oregonians can buy new $10 raffle tickets for a chance to win $1 million.

The Oregon Lottery debuted the new game, even as state gambling revenues are down.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

So far this year, Oregonians have spent 8-(m)million-dollars less than expected playing video poker and other Lottery video games.

The state lottery blames the economy, bad weather, and the new smoking ban in bars.

Bars and restaurants also blame the no-smoking law for driving their business down generally.

Dave Schwartz is a director at the Center for Gaming Research at University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Dave Schwartz: “There’s been a big downturn in Vegas, and smoking is still legal in all those casinos. So, Ocham’s Razor and logic says smoking can’t be the main explanation if revenue is going down where you still have smoking.”

Oregon’s tribal casinos have reported a drop in revenue – and smoking is still allowed there.

Gambling was often called a “recession proof” industry.

Schwartz says economists no longer believe that’s the case.