Last week saw Iowa state lottery chief Terry Rich address lawmakers in the state Legislature's House-Senate Government Oversight Appropriations Subcommittee regarding internet gambling possibilities.
And while he noted that the state can already expand into online gambling without any further legislation, Rich also cautioned that the as yet unsuccessful attempt to legalize online poker at the federal level could represent a competitive threat in the future if reintroduced, as it would favor the state of Nevada and its major casino companies at the same time raising questions about states' rights.
“The Legislature should decide what gaming goes on in Iowa, not the federal government. We want the decision made by this body,” he said, pointing to some local research studies which showed that over 150,000 Iowans are already playing online poker and spending around $40 million a year on sports betting and online gambling.
In addition, in the past five years, some Iowans who received help for problem gambling identified sports betting and online gambling – both illegal in Iowa – as their primary forms of wagering, Rich said.
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