Could I make a killing by inventing a Goddess of Fortune and opening a church in Las Vegas?

Betonhaus

Betonhaus

Irrefutable Rationality
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Mar 30, 2023
Like I have a big stature of a woman with snake eyes eyes, wings of poker cards, and a sequin vest where the sequins are poker chips. I tell people that donating to her may improve their odds of winning.

Would I make a fortune?
 
That idea might be a bit tricky in terms of legality, and there are a few factors you'd want to consider under Las Vegas (and Nevada) law.

  1. Religious Freedom and Tax Exemptions: Creating a religious organization is legal, and churches are often eligible for tax-exempt status. However, there are rules about what qualifies as a "church" or a "religious organization." It would need to be established as a legitimate religion or belief system, and your "Goddess of Fortune" might face challenges proving that it's a legitimate religious practice rather than just a gimmick to make money.
  2. Gambling Laws: The part where you say that donating to the Goddess could "improve their odds of winning" could raise red flags under gambling law. It could be seen as an attempt to deceive people into thinking that they have a greater chance of winning if they donate, which could cross into the territory of fraud or misrepresentation. Nevada has strict laws regulating any form of gambling-related promotion or false claims about winning odds.
  3. Consumer Protection: Even if you're not directly claiming to provide a "gambling service," promising that donations could somehow improve people's chances of winning may be considered misleading or deceptive under Nevada’s consumer protection laws, especially if there's no real basis for that claim.
In short, the religious aspect of your idea could be legally viable with proper structuring and adherence to tax-exempt status guidelines. However, the connection to improving gambling odds might open you up to legal scrutiny regarding gambling regulations and consumer fraud. I'd highly recommend consulting with a lawyer who specializes in gaming law and religious organizations to get more tailored advice!

TL,DR: :bogged: consult a Nevada lawyer, also, good luck scammer.
 
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Creating a church to Lady Luck is all well and good until the giant dollar sign/dice/cards/whatever logo you'll go with just so happens to fall on you, pointy-end first.
 
Just make a neoPagan cult around Fortuna at this point. Just add in a few of the various Aspects, and you'd unironically probably be on the right path.
 
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You don't have to invent one. Fortuna already exists:
640px-Fortuna,_inv._2244_-_Braccio_Nuovo,_Museo_Chiaramonti_-_Vatican_Museums_-_DSC00920.jpg
 
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So to summarise it so far:
A statue of Fortuna with really big tits wearing a jacket like attached, with all sorts of gambling motifs embedded in her. Like a peacock "fan" on her back made from a deck of cards, eyes with dice-like pupils (one with one dot and one with six dots), with a cane made from a stack of gambling tokens, a top hat made from one of those 7-7-7 spinning thingies, everything a bright vivid color with gilt
 

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