Conflicted? You bet

The South generally opposes gambling, so the conventional wisdom goes, because of high moral values and a belief that the Bible prohibits wagering.

Not so fast.

With a few exceptions (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas), most Southern states have a lottery. Flights from Birmingham to Vegas aren't suffering from a lack of business. Mississippi has decided to let its hurricane-damaged casino operations, which produce tons of revenue for the state, move inland. And the best-selling spots for the state lotteries of Tennessee, Florida and Georgia are hard by the Alabama border.

Clearly Sunday sermons against gambling are one thing, refraining from placing a bet is quite another.

As we learn more details about the work of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the South may have to wrestle with its attitudes about gambling. Abramoff and his associates played on Southern attitudes about gambling to benefit clients, namely Indian casinos in Mississippi and Louisiana. Those tribal interests did not want competition in Alabama and Texas. According to the record, Abramoff (with help from Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist) kept gambling out Alabama and Texas with the help of religious right figures opposed to wagering.

It's a cynical game for casinos fearful of competition to take gambling proceeds and to give them to religious opponents in other states.