PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — For nearly two decades, the Oregon Lottery has refrained from advertising video gambling on television. Lottery officials said they didn’t want to go too far in promoting gambling.
Fast forward to the present as the lottery launches a new TV commercial campaign that shows the whirring wheels of its slot machine-style games in hopes of drawing more players.
The change in approach comes as gambling revenues from video machines have plunged.
Lottery spokesman Chuck Bauman says the lottery’s mission is to maximize revenue for the state.
The ads cost $430,000 to produce and air, and they’ll run until the end of December.
