Variations in the Diffusion of State Lottery Adoptions: How Revenue Dedication Changes Morality Politics¹

Abstract

Previous studies of morality policy adoption and diffusion often have failed to define the characteristics of a morality policy that result in certain kinds of politics. For example, studies of lottery diffusion include all lottery adoptions, treating them as possessing characteristics that render their politics similar. In this article we explore the possibility that different types of lotteries generate different types of politics. Although all lotteries involve considerations of morality, some types of lotteries can involve additional values beyond concerns about the “sin” of gambling. The dedication of lottery revenue to a specific purpose can arouse these additional concerns and change the politics of adoption. We hypothesize that dedication of lottery revenue to the general fund will therefore generate different politics of adoption than lotteries designed to fund education. We find that previous findings on lottery diffusion apply only to general fund lotteries. If lottery revenue is dedicated to education, the potent symbol of children's education significantly changes the politics of adoption.