It’s hard to know where to start on the latest nonsense related to the state-endorsed, state-run gambling operation known as the Education Lottery.
First, the state’s policy on gambling is schizophrenic and fools no one. It boils down to this: state-run gambling is good, privately run gambling is bad. Ridiculous on its face.
Second, gambling is about as far as you can get from a core state service, thus making it clearly out of bounds for government involvement, operation, and funding.
Third, the restriction on lottery advertising is ridiculous and boils down to this: advertise, but don’t entice anyone to play. And now that former state Treasurer Richard Moore is questioning whether the lottery’s latest ad campaign violates that rule, we have this nonsensical comment from lottery head Alice Garland: (emphasis is mine)
“We take our lottery law and responsibility for advertising very seriously,” said Alice Garland, the lottery’s executive director. “No ad concept goes forward unless an internal team agrees that the concept is not enticing.”
Really? Then why the heck is the state bothering to advertise if the “internal team agrees” it won’t entice anyone to buy a ticket? It’s a silly contortion to try and meet a ridiculous rule.
Meantime, over in Cherokee, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is continuing its effort to get permission from Gov. Perdue to be “allowed” to have card games at its thriving casino which, by the way, is undergoing a massive expansion. It appears that card games fall under the state’s policy of “bad” gambling. Please.
North Carolina should get out of the gambling business and open the state to private gambling operations that would create private-sector jobs, pay taxes, and contribute to their local communities.
