A representative from the Mormon Church on Thursday spoke out against a proposal to allow multistate lottery in Wyoming.

Craig Whitehead, president of the Cheyenne Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he represented thousands of church members across the state in opposing the bill.

Whitehead made his comments to members of the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee, who are meeting this week in Cheyenne. The committee later endorsed the bill..

A statewide poll earlier this year found that 62 percent of state voters support joining a multistate lottery.

The Legislature has rejected six lottery bills since 1999, including a bill in the 2005 general session that died on a 29-29 vote in the House. But the tide may be turning as it becomes clear that state residents want a chance to cash in on multimillion-dollar jackpots.

Some lawmakers also believe a lottery could recapture money spent by residents who travel elsewhere to buy tickets. Wyoming's neighbor states participate in lotteries.

"I'm trying to be faithful to my constituents and not blindly stay the course," said Rep. Kermit Brown, R-Laramie, who supported the measure despite personal opposition to gambling.

Whitehead appealed to the committee to reject the bill on the grounds that lottery offers the false hope of an unearned reward.

He said the LDS Church opposes gambling in all forms and that even seemingly innocent forms of gambling like lottery "will cause grief to many."

"These unwelcome fruits will then require the resources of social services, law enforcement, hospitals, churches and other charitable organizations for relief," he said.

Ladonna Backman, a Cheyenne resident who also testified to the committee, said she opposes all efforts to expand gambling in Wyoming.

"Powerball (lottery) specifically targets the members of our society who can least afford it," she said.

Wyoming already sanctions off-track betting on horse and dog races. Las Vegas-style gambling is allowed on the Wind River Indian Reservation in central Wyoming.

The committee did agree to reserve 1 percent of lottery proceeds to help local governments and nonprofits prevent and treat problem gambling. The money would be distributed in the form of grants.

Virginia Shoffstall, of the newly formed Wyoming Council on Problem Gambling, provided model legislation from Nevada that was the basis for the grant program.

Also Thursday, the committee endorsed bill to create a state gambling commission.

The commission would coordinate with local governments to control legal forms of gambling like bingo and pull tabs. Some county attorneys have asked for uniform rules to govern the practices, said Sen. Mike Massie, D-Laramie.

The committee also approved a bill to establish ground rules for nonprofits that want to participate in legal gambling to raise funds. The bills now move the the full Legislature for consideration.

Reach Star-Tribune capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at (307) 632-1244 or at jared.miller@casperstartribune.net.