Iowa Considers Intrastate Online PokerHawkeye State Eyes Another Gaming First |
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Iowa, like most states across the U.S., is looking for revenue to shore up its state budget.
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers are proposing intrastate poker legislation as a solution.
According to Rep. Doug Struyk (R-Council Bluffs), who is part of a legislative group reviewing statewide gambling issues, 50,000 people in Iowa gamble online.
A proposal being developed by the Struyk’s group calls for allowing Iowa residents to deposit money at Iowa’s 17 casinos that could then be used to play poker online against fellow Iowa residents.
Lawmakers estimate that online poker could bring the state $11.5 million in revenue.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission currently licenses and regulates the 17 commercial casinos in the state.
In the Racing and Gaming Commission’s 2009 annual report, Gregory Seyfer, commission chairman, stated that “the gaming industry once again contributed over $1 billion to the state’s economy, including over $300 million in gaming taxes.”
Iowa was the first state to allow riverboat gaming in the United States.
In 1989, it expanded its Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act — which allowed wagering on horse and dog racing in the state — to include casino riverboat wagering.
In 1991, the first casino opened its doors.
Iowa is currently facing a budget shortfall of more than $400 million.
State projection show that the shortfall could expand upwards $1 billion next year if statewide revenue — which declined 8.4 percent, or $414.9 million, in 2009 — continues to fall.
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