INDIANAPOLIS Gov. Mike Pencesays he opposes expanding gaming in Indiana but according to some critics, it’s happening right under his nose.
No, not through the casino bill that’s moving through the General Assembly. That’s the one that prompted Pence last week to criticize for its inclusion of provisions that would let riverboat casinos move onto the land they already own and allow live table games in addition to slots at the state’s two “racinos.”
The expansion of gaming or, at least, an effort to dramatically increase the number of gamblers is taking place at the state-run Hoosier Lottery, which launched a new advertising campaign last week that downplays the fact that lottery ticket-buyers ultimately lose much more money than they win and pitches the game as one that can help players realize their dreams.
The billboards and ads feature Hoosiers discussing what they would do if they won the lottery a huge departure from the Hoosier Lottery’s previous advertisements, which encouraged responsible gambling.
“The time has come for every Hoosier Alfrodsville to Zanesville, from the streets of Indianapolis to the fields of LaGrange to stand up and make your dreams heard, pie in the sky or feet on the ground,” a narrator says in an introductory ad.
“We’re not going to tell you how to dream, we just ask that you do. Because the fact is, this isn’t just any lottery this is the Hoosier Lottery, created for us, by us, and inspired by our dreams.”
Hoosiers are featured in billboards and ads talking about what they would do with the money. Their answers range from setting up college funds to restoring a movie theater to paying for in vitro fertilization. You can watch the ads here: http://www.youtube.com/user/thehoosierlottery.
This is the first ad campaign launched since former Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration supported the state lottery commission’s decision to hire Rhode Island-based GTECH to take over a number of the Hoosier Lottery’s functions.
The goal was to boost the lottery’s revenue by drawing new players into the fold, but lottery commissioners made the curious argument that they did not consider it an expansion of gaming.
The Hoosier Lottery’s top official defended its new “Imagine That” ad campaign in a statement released this month.
“Everyone has had those conversations at one time or another, talking about what they would do if they won the lottery,” said Hoosier Lottery Executive Director Karl Browning.
“We asked Hoosiers to tell us, in their own words, and they responded en masse with a generous and caring theme that is so representative of our citizens. Our new advertising campaign, and new brand overall, gives people the freedom to dream and we’re sharing those dreams with Hoosiers across the state. This is now truly a brand for Hoosiers, by Hoosiers.”
The foremost critic of the new ad campaign has been Matthew Tully, a metro columnist at The Indianapolis Star.
He wrote that “while most of us tend to view all over-the-top ad campaigns with a healthy amount of skepticism, there is something uniquely disturbing about the one the lottery’s ad agency is now unveiling. Why? Because in this case it’s our own state that is trying to mislead everyone, and that is guiding at least some Hoosiers into a behavior that isn’t good for them.”
Pence declined to comment Tuesday because he said he has not seen the ads yet nor has he played the Hoosier Lottery.
“I’ve never bought a lottery ticket,” Pence said. “I don’t gambling on anything except politics.”
Friday afternoon, a Pence spokeswoman said the governor could not be reached for comment on the ads.
Though the new ad campaign was set in motion during Daniels’ tenure, as the state’s chief executive, Pence who said last week, “I do not support an expansion of gaming in Indiana” is now in charge of the Hoosier Lottery.