Restrictions wrought by COVID-19 have busted income streams for casinos in Las Vegas and around the world, but amid limitations on in-person betting, online gambling is hitting new revenue jackpots.
And experts warn that for those with a penchant for exceeding the limits of responsible gambling, pandemic conditions have created a perfect setting for bad decision-making.
So what does that mean for states like Utah, a state that has a century-old blanket ban on gambling and, about a decade ago, bolstered restrictions on online gambling?
Data assembled by the American Gaming Association reflects total U.S. commercial gambling revenue was $24 billion for the first 10 months of 2020, a 33% drop over the same period in 2019. And of that revenue last year, more than $19 billion came from in-person casino gamblers.
Look Out For This Lottery Scam
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery reminds players to stay aware and alert as they play lottery games. Fraud accounts and scammers never take a break, especially when jackpots get really high.
The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday has climbed to $750 million, and Saturday’s Powerball jackpot stands at $640 million.
The Arkansas State Lottery Director Eric Hagle had this to say.
“Fake lottery scams are fairly common,” You can receive a phone call, email, text, and even social media messages that are seemingly real. Do not be fooled. Stay aware and play responsibly.”
“If players who joined The Club are skeptical when notified, we encourage them to call the lottery to confirm,” he said. “A legitimate lottery official never asks winners to pay taxes upfront. All federal and state taxes are paid before the lottery releases the money to the winner.”