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Is the Lottery a Predator?

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  • Description

    Stop Predatory Gambling executive director Les Bernal sounds off on the government and lottery system.

  • Duration 3:27
  • Date

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This transcript is automatically generated

That Mega Millions Jack but now at a record 540.

Million bucks.

But is the chance of winning an extra half a billion dollars does that give Americans -- false sense of hope.

-- burn all says yes and he blames the government.

-- is -- executive director of stop predatory gambling and he joins us now.

From Boston -- many people describe this as a tax the most regressive tax but.

Less people willingly pay yet look at their lining up by the millions to -- these ticket.

Well that this whole Mega Millions story.

Spots like spots -- spouse -- why the government program.

State lotteries when the biggest public policy failures of the last forty years.

But a Consumer Federation of America survey showed that more than one out of five Americans think the best way the most practical way to wealth.

Is the play the lottery.

If that's not that's not an example of a broken public policy I don't know what it.

But there it is a choice to go out and buy a ticket is it not and if you -- personal responsibility.

And -- people willingly do this so I don't understand.

How why you're trading your -- on the government.

Sure what this isn't far beyond whether or not people gamble this is -- -- in the state state lotteries government lotteries.

-- today the public voice of American government.

We don't advertise virtually anything else except for military recruitment.

Is it's up for state lotteries Wii console in cars -- people to lose more and more money.

In -- inept -- you know gamer a product that essentially reversed virtually worthless when you have one winner.

-- and more and more energy and you are saying these governments -- cutting spending yet the state of Illinois.

A letting people buy lottery tickets on line with credit cards yet detect -- durability asylum in the back of a taxicab.

A year issue is not so much with gambling but the fact that these states have monopolies on gambling and then outlaw other forms of -- like.

-- that.

This education used to be your way out of poverty -- -- -- to work your way up the ladder of success in America he's the hard work and education.

And today what government is does it preferred a Vice Fund of people and -- an opportunity.

And that's it -- -- a lot easier to get people to lose their money that is to get people took to you know help educate people it reform our schools and up all the other kinds of you know.

Activities -- government should be doing.

I think.

But let's just close then this will not end last.

-- I think what we're doing as a as as a government program of people need to remember is -- these state lotteries aren't government program at its unsustainable.

In a -- -- during the Great Depression.

Government challenged Americans to stand up and and and by -- spots and that's how we pay for the war.

Oh you know -- bella sells out you -- trade into infrastructure that way today.

That the DOD bush the government is encouraging people to lose money in it did at the classic iconic image of of the Great Depression is -- of the river where their biceps -- and we can do it.

I would have that the -- -- today if you look at the Oregon lottery reigning symbol which is that the department it's a poster child for Dave to cross fingers right you know.

Other -- closure then.

Come all the money no land base.

Let's let's I -- -- Andy and Eric and I and we -- at that time we've run out rats.

We'll have you back again and it especially somebody hits that tonight land at all -- well.

Will be there --

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