Jonathan Krutz, a lecturer in the Department of Marketing, published a guest editorial in the Idaho Statesman on March 28 titled “It’s about time Idaho legislators reined in the Lottery by banning Powerball in Idaho”. Krutz commends the legislature for declining Powerball’s request to change Idaho law, detailing the legitimate concerns all sides of the political spectrum have about the lottery’s negative impacts in Idaho.
Krutz recommends that the legislature take three additional steps:
- Shut down the lottery’s $40 million per year unconstitutional Touch Tabs slot machines.
- Cut back on the lottery’s multi-million dollar advertising budget – especially advertising that reaches kids.
- Make the Idaho Lottery responsible for measuring and reporting on its negative impacts on Idahoans (currently, it is only charged to maximize revenues).
As a Ph.D. student in Boise State’s public policy and administration program, Krutz studies gambling issues. He is concerned about the inherent conflict of interest of a government that is both the manager and the regulator of gambling activities. Because of his concerns, Krutz volunteers on the state and national boards of Stop Predatory Gambling, a national movement to rein in gambling in America because of its negative effects on people, economies and sound public policy.