Conservative protestantism and opposition to state-sponsored lotteries: Evidence from the 1997 Texas poll

Objective. This study examines the links between conservative Protestantism and attitudes toward state-sponsored lotteries. Methods. Hypotheses are te sted using data from a telephone survey of Texas residents (N = 823) conduc ted in February, 1997. We estimate logistic regression models to gauge the net effects of religious variables and a range of sociodemographic covariat es on opposition to the state lottery. Results. The vast majority of respon dents support the state lottery in Texas. Consistent with our hypotheses, a ntilottery views are most common among (a) Baptists and members of other co nservative Protestant denominations, (b) persons who report attending relig ious services at least weekly, and (c) persons who "strongly agree" with bi blical inerrancy, as well as (d) those who "strongly disagree" with inerran cy. Overall, religious variables are among the strongest predictors of lott ery opposition. Conclusions. Clearly, religious conservatives are much more likely than other Texans to oppose the state lottery. However, antilottery sentiment is somewhat tepid even in this important segment of the populati on. Consequently, any effective resistance to lotteries, and perhaps other forms of gambling, will likely involve coalitions of conservative Protestan ts and other antigambling constituencies.