June 9, 1997

With 50 different sets of campaign finance and lobbyist expenditure reporting laws across the country, pinning down a national figure for the gambling industry's political spending is about as easy as getting a royal flush at the poker table.

Some states, such as Washington, Florida, Arizona, and New York, have begun reporting political contributions or lobbying stats online for easy public access (Although some of them seem more concerned with fancy animated graphics than complete records). In other states, such as Illinois or California, advocacy groups or private firms have put such data within the reach of computer users, though sometimes for a price. A few states, such as Ohio, do not yet have their political spending information on the Web but will send it out on disk for a nominal fee, though their formatting often leaves something to be desired.

But most states cling to hard copy records, available only in the state capitol, so getting the information means sorting through a mountain of paper and paying copying fees that can range from 25 cents to $1 per page. Then there are the states where these mountains of paper signify nothing. In Nevada, for example, the state will gladly mail lobbyist expenditure records, but since the lobbyists are only required to file reports when the Legislature is in session -- six out of every 24 months -- the books contain neat columns of zeros (view a sample page).