• The data for the study was collected using both primary and secondary data collection techniques.
• Primary data related to gambling ballot outcomes (yes/no votes on gambling proposition) were obtained from all 50 state-election offices.
• Secondary data was compiled from a variety of sources :
– county-level religious data containing information about the number of churches and church members;
– other country-level data, such as population estimates, age, personal income, ethnicity, gender, poverty level, and education, were extracted from the U.S. Census Bureau and state data centers.