Des Moines Iowa — Ninety-five legislators have voted to put the brakes on a proposed casino in Cedar Rapids and the proposal is headed to Governor Kim Reynolds for her signature.
The bill would create an immediate moratorium, to prevent the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission from considering any casino license applications over the next two years. Linn County voters approved a gambling referendum in November. Representative Kirsten Running-Marquardt of Cedar Rapids says that means her community is being singled out.
Representative Shannon Lundgren of Peosta says a moratorium on new state casino licenses is a good idea amid all the gambling activity happening in surrounding states.
Lundgren says legislators have a responsibility to ensure new casinos don’t siphon customers away from existing casinos and she suggests lawmakers may set new limits on gambling regulators’ authority in the future.
Representative Steve Hansen of Sioux City says as casino construction starts in Nebraska, a moratorium on new casinos in Iowa is short sighted.
Senators considered and approved the moratorium for the first time Monday morning and the House approved it a few hours later. The bill that includes the moratorium on new casino licenses also would let Iowa casinos simulcast out-of-state horse races like the Kentucky Derby and take bets. An earlier version of the bill would have allowed Iowans to bet on video game competitions, but references to E-sports were removed from the bill.
