Lottery Wars: Case Studies in Bible Belt Politics, 1986-2005

by Randy Bobbitt

Between 1986 and 2005, nearly every state in the Southeast grappled with one or more proposals for a state-run lottery. The political battles and marketing campaigns leading up to the decisions generated considerable public debate and media attention. Pro-lottery and anti-lottery groups executed costly and labor-intensive campaigns aimed at generating the involvement of the media, politicians, and voters. Using a variety of case studies, Lottery Wars examines those debates and campaigns from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Using thousands of media articles and government documents, in addition to dozens of interviews with politicians, religious leaders, and journalists who covered the campaigns, Bobbitt brings up-to-date the research on state lotteries in the Southeast United States. Accessible and journalistic in style, Lottery Wars is an ideal supplement to any political communication course.

230 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2007

Reviews

[AnnMarie Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interestingly, but ultimately repetitive so I stopped halfway through. It convinced me to swear off lottery tickets (I purchase them now and then for the fun of dreaming) and to vote against the racino and casino initiatives on the ballot this month.