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.
Comments
ponyneck
1 year ago
It's a good start but online poker will suck intrastate... it needs to be on a Federal level.
natef99
1 year ago
This is another goverment blunder!Now anybody who knows anything about the gambling industry knows how big the online poker sites are and the numbers of players and money exchanging hands.All they have to do is work with the ppa and come to an agreement on taxes.That way they can take our money (40%)call us chronic gamblers and use the funds to make war on more poor people and call it freeing them!!!!
off tilt poker tables
1 year ago
So only Iowa players can play Iowa players? And Florida players can only play Florida players (as was interoduced in FL today)? What happens when a player is tavelling as 50% of our working class does regularly? If they travel outside Iowa are they prohibitied from playing? Another rediculous government attempt to control our lifestyle! Why not just allow brick and mortar poker rooms at teh racetracks and in certain industrial areas and tax them like Montana, Nevada and California does.
Do you really think the mega poker rooms will re-tool their architecture to monitor a players home state and control the rooms they can enter?