is the lottery legal in all 50 states
Among the states that do not have lotteries, Alabama, Mississippi, and Utah cite religious objections. Nevada's lucrative gambling industry has lobbied against a state lottery there, fearing the competition; similarly, the Mississippi Gaming Commission expressed concern that a state lottery would constitute a ``competing force'' for gambling dollars spent at Mississippi casinos. Despite this, in August 2018, Mississippi passed legislation to create a state lottery. The governor expressed his support for the lottery to fund transportation in the state and has indicated he will sign the bill. Sales are expected to begin sometime in 2019. Alaska and Hawaii, being outside the contiguous United States, have not felt the pressure of losing sales to competitors.
Lotteries in the United States