Statewide Iowa — A representative of the 19 state-licensed casinos in Iowa says lawmakers may debate legalizing online casino gambling — but NOT during the 2022 legislative session.
Six other states have already authorized online casinos. Iowa Gaming Association president and CEO Wes Ehrecke says the concept is still in its embryonic stage.
It became legal for Iowans to place SPORTS bets online on August 15th of 2019. Ehrecke says he doesn’t expect making online casinos legal as well would lead to the demise of the brick and mortar operations in the state.
But Ehrecke says analyzing the record in the six states that have legalized online casinos will be key. He says there’ll be questions of how online gaming revenue compared to in-person wagering and whether foot traffic declines significantly in casinos.
Ehrecke made his comments during an appearance this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.
