LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The latest effort to allow a Nevada lottery appears to be on a road to nowhere.
A Nevada Senate committee removed discussion of the matter from its agenda on Thursday, a signal that the powerful casino lobby has been patrolling the halls of the Legislature in Carson City.
Assembly Joint Resolution 5 (AJR5) has not received a hearing thus far. The measure was scheduled for a hearing Thursday at 4 p.m. Democratic Assemblyman Cameron Miller of North Las Vegas sponsored the resolution.
AJR5 would allow sales of lottery tickets and the creation of a state lottery, an issue that seems to come up every legislative session without getting anywhere. Meanwhile, Las Vegas residents drive 43 miles to Primm or Arizona stores along U.S. 93 to buy Powerball and Mega Millions tickets.
The Primm store on the Nevada-California border is California’s top seller when jackpots climb to astronomical highs.
Lotteries are forbidden by Nevada’s constitution.
A $2 billion Powerball jackpot hit in November, and jackpots frequently climb into the hundreds of millions.
Nevada’s answer to the lottery is the Megabucks network of slot machines. The jackpot is currently $13.9 million.
