The proposal, called “Take Your Shot Act,” would offer a $1m prize to 100 winners selected at random among Americans age 18 or above.
The legislation is modeled after state vaccine lotteries in Ohio, Oregon, California and New Mexico.
"You don’t have to be from Las Vegas to know that everyone enjoys having a chance to win big," Titus said. "With vaccine demand slowing down, we have to get creative. Governors across the country have shown vaccine lotteries can work, and we can make even more of a difference at the federal level."
The federal government and state governments have struggled to convince millions of Americans to receive vaccinations. As of June 8, 64% of Americans age 18 or up had received at least one dose, while 53% of the entire population was at least partially vaccinated.
There’s evidence to believe a national vaccination lottery could lead Americans to get shots.
The vaccination rate in Ohio jumped 28% in the days after Gov. Mike DeWine announced a lottery that would give five vaccinated residents $1m.
“This dramatic increase in vaccinations indicates that the Vax-a-Million drawing has been impactful in creating momentum for vaccinations throughout Ohio,” Stephanie McCloud, director of the Ohio Department of Health, said last month.
Titus, who has represented Nevada’s 1st congressional district since 2013, is one of the top gaming advocates in Congress. She serves as Co-Chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and the Congressional Gaming Caucus.
She has repeatedly urged Congress to end the federal excise tax on sports betting, which she said is “aiding illegal, offshore gaming operations and hindering the hard-hit gaming industry here at home from rebounding from the COVID pandemic.”
The American Gaming Association reports sports betting operators paid $106m in federal excise tax between June 2018 and January 2021.
