Stop Predatory Gambling

Racial profiling, Lottery-style

by spgadmin

Jodie Winnett, acting superintendent of the Illinois Lottery, reinforces the truth why the Lottery is the most predatory institution still standing in America in this news story from Abraham Lincoln’s hometown newspaper.

According to the news report:

“…the state on July 21 signed a contract with Chicago-based Burrell Communications Group to market the lottery to African-Americans.

The two-year contract, which is worth $1.6 million a year, can be extended for two years. The contract is in addition to $25 million the state pays to market the lottery to the general public and another $1.6 million paid to a company that focuses on the Hispanic population.

Under state law, the state is supposed to adopt policies to ensure that advertising content and practices do not target specific groups or economic classes of people. Winnett said that hiring firms to focus on ethnic groups isn’t a case of targeting. Rather, she said, the state is trying to ensure all potential ticket buyers get the message. “Our objective is to not leave anyone out,” Winnett said.

How is targeting African-Americans and Hispanics with a product that pushes people into deeper levels of personal debt not predatory? Why isn’t government encouraging these same ethnic groups to save money so they can accumulate the capital they need to live the American Dream?

It’s racial profiling, Lottery-style.