LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas residents are one step closer to not having to drive to Primm to play the lottery.
A proposed amendment passed another committee, and is set to be heard by the Nevada State Senate.
On Monday, the Assembly passed the joint resolution 26 to 15 proposing changes to the Nevada constitution with a mix of democrats and republicans on board. The Senate needs to approve the bill.
This move past the committees is unprecedented. For decades, there have been several attempts, but all have failed.
"In my memory, there are no floor votes that stand out and generally speaking when this has come up in the past. It's been kind of getting on a treadmill, you might be moving pretty fast but you're not going anywhere," said UNLV History Professor Michael Green.
Green also says he believes a reason there hasn't been a state lottery could be because of competition between casinos and the state.
"Over the years I don't think casinos did not want a lottery, but this may be changing if they're figuring there's a way for them to be involved," said Green.
Locals tell Channel 13 they're looking forward to trying to hit the jackpot with a state lottery.
"If there's a chance I'll buy it here as well," said a Las Vegas resident.
The bill needs to pass the Senate, and then the Assembly, and Senate again in 2025. Then if it passes, Nevadans get to vote on it in 2026.
