South Dakota Lottery Dodges Requirement to Promote Awareness of Gambling Risks
A proposed bill to require the state lottery to raise public awareness of gambling addiction has been voted down in South Dakota.
The House Commerce and Energy Committee rejected a proposal to require the South Dakota Lottery to promote awareness of the negative impacts of gambling. The proponents of the bill wanted the lottery to allocate funds to educate the public on the dangers of gambling.
Advocates for the bill shared stories of individuals who have been negatively affected by gambling addiction. However, opponents argued that the state lottery is already providing public warnings and support, citing the lottery's "play responsibly" message and the $214,000 it provides annually for problem gambling treatment.
The committee ultimately voted seven to five against the bill.