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The personal finance website WalletHub compared the 50 states
based on several sinful behaviors, including vices, greed, lust
and vanity. They determined that Illinois was the 8th most
sinful state in the country.
Analyst Jill Gonzalez said some of the categories are
tongue-in-cheek, while others have a definite impact on society.
She notes that Illinois ranked in the top 10 in two categories.
“One was anger and hatred, so that would have a lot to do with
violence and crime, while the other was vanity, which has to do
with beauty salons per capita and plastic surgeries per capita,”
Gonzalez said.
Many states, including Illinois, have turned to vices to
generate tax revenue. Illinois allows sports betting and may
give the green light to online casino gambling as well. In 2022,
sports betting produced total tax revenue of nearly $128
million.
Illinois leads the nation in the number of electronic gaming
devices, with over 40,000 machines at nearly 8,000 locations
around the state in 2021, everywhere from bars, gaming parlors
to gas stations.
Recreational marijuana in Illinois has been even more successful
for the state. The state made $445 million in tax revenue from
the sale of legal marijuana in the last fiscal year.
“Marijuana is involved in these when it comes to excesses and
vices, so it's right up there with adult smokers,” Gonzalez
said.
According to the study, Nevada, California and Louisiana were
the top three most sinful states.
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in
Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of
experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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