Statewide, Iowa (RI) – A five-year moratorium on new casinos in Iowa passed the Iowa House this past Thursday afternoon and the same proposal has been approved by a committee in the Senate.
If the bill becomes law by this coming Thursday morning, it will block state regulators from considering the application for a new casino in Cedar Rapids. The Racing and Gaming Commission is scheduled to vote on the Cedar Crossing Casino project on February 6th. Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, points to recent studies suggesting a Cedar Rapids casino would draw customers — and revenue — from currently operating casinos.
Senator Scott Webster, a Republican from Bettendorf, guided the bill that would block a Cedar Rapids casino through the Senate Local Government Committee Thursday.
Representative Sami Scheetz, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the legislature should let the Racing and Gaming Commission make the call.
Representative Amie Wichtendahl, a Democrat from Marion, says Linn County voters approved a gambling referendum in 2021 and the legislature shouldn’t interfere in the process set up to consider the application for a casino license.
Senator Dawn Driscoll, a Republican from Williamsburg, voted for the moratorium in committee Thursday. She’s the state senator who represents Riverside, which has had a casino since 2006.
Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, opposed the moratorium. He says it limits competition in Iowa’s gambling market.
There’s been no announcement yet from GOP leaders on a potential vote in the 50-member senate on the casino moratorium bill.