Oregonians spent nearly $1 billion on gambling in 1999

The estimates suggest that Oregonians spent a little less than half as much on gambling as they spent on all other forms of entertainment, including sporting events, movies, plays, pets, toys, TV and camping.

All told, Oregonians spent $988.8 million on the Oregon Lottery, Oregon tribal casinos, out-of-state casinos and other gambling ventures.

The growth was fueled mainly by rising personal incomes among casino gamblers who are benefiting from a strong economy and stock market, Whelan said. Gambling at Oregon casinos increased by an estimated 16.7 percent in 1999 to $312.8 million, Whelan estimates. Oregonians also spent an estimated $123.6 million on out-of-state casinos, up 9.1 percent.

"The amount of gambling in Oregon has gone up a lot," said Whelan, a senior economist at ECONorthwest. "It's in part because some of the Oregon casinos have managed to take some business away from Nevada."

William N. Thompson, a gambling expert and professor of public administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said Oregon's spending is a little higher than the national average.

On average, Americans spend about $270 per capita on gambling a year, he said.

"Your growth is most likely attributable to a strong national economy and a strong state economy," he said.

Tribal casinos in Oregon benefited most from the growth, with customers leaving behind $44.7 million more in 1999 than the year before.

The Oregon Lottery drew the largest amount of revenue -- $530.3 million in 1999 -- but showed little growth, up just 2.7 percent. The lottery generates about $300 million a year for the state's general fund.

"These numbers really do reflect the basic trend the lottery's been on for four or five years," said David Hooper, lottery spokesman. "Absent any change in the video lottery product mix, those numbers won't change much."

Hooper said barring any new games, the lottery is expected to remain flat or decrease slightly in the years to come.

The numbers are not estimates of profits, but of the amount people spend on gambling less the payoffs or prizes they receive.

Whelan makes his estimates based on lottery data, other state agency information and information voluntarily released by tribal casinos. For illegal gambling, where there is little hard data, Whelan made a best guess based on national estimates.

More Oregonians are seeking treatment for problem gambling. New figures compiled for the state show that in fiscal year 1998-99, 824 problem gamblers and 156 family members received treatment from 26 gambling addiction programs in the state. That's up from 723 clients and 135 family members in the previous fiscal year.

A 1997 state study found that at least 78,000 Oregonians were probably problem gamblers.

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