Which States Do Not Offer a State-Run Lottery
As of 2025, six U.S. states do not have a state-run lottery: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and Mississippi. These states generally prohibit or do not operate any form of state-administered lottery or scratch ticket game. Some of these states have other forms of legalized gambling, such as tribal casinos or racetrack wagering, while others largely avoid state-run gambling on religious or libertarian grounds. The following breakdown explains the status in each state and the primary factors shaping these policies.
States Without a Lottery and Key Context
Alabama and Utah: Religious Objections
Alabama and Utah prohibit state-run lotteries primarily due to religious opposition to gambling. Both states have strong cultural and legislative resistance to creating a lottery, focusing on concerns about social costs and moral objections to games of chance.
Alaska and Nevada: Limited Demand and Existing Revenue Sources
Alaska has a small population and substantial oil revenue, which reduces perceived fiscal need for a lottery. Nevada already hosts the world’s most significant commercial gambling market in Las Vegas, so state officials have historically seen no need to operate a lottery that might compete with private casino gaming.
Hawaii: Geographic Isolation and Opposition to Expansion
Hawaii maintains a gambling landscape limited to low-stakes social games and charitable bingo in some counties. The state has long resisted expanding gambling, including lottery proposals, citing concerns about addiction, crime, and the desire to remain distinct from mainland gambling norms.
Mississippi: Recent Entry and Tribal Coordination
Mississippi launched a state lottery in January 2020. Before that, it was the most recent state to adopt a lottery, doing so after years of debate. Tribal gaming compacts and concerns about revenue sharing shaped the timing and structure of the lottery’s creation.