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A controversial gambling bill before the Iowa Legislature would make sweeping changes — most dramatically by opening the doors for Iowans to legally play poker online.
It would also settle a long-running dispute between the state's horse breeders and the Altoona racetrack over how purse money should be divvied up, and would let casinos off the hook for referendum votes, according to a copy of the freshly drafted bill obtained Thursday.
It would be "a win-win" for Iowans who gamble and for those who don't, with a mix of gambling policy that has merit, said state Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, chairman of the Senate committee that will closely examine the bill.
But because gambling inspires fierce passions in Iowa, debate over the bill is bound to get contentious and entangled in other political issues.
The most avant-garde piece would allow state-regulated casinos to allow Iowans ages 21 and older to play online poker on their personal computers. Approved gamblers would put cash into special accounts, set maximum limits for bets and length of play, then log on to a password-protected website to play cards at a virtual poker table.
Internet gambling is illegal, untaxed and unregulated in the United States, but federal law permits states to legalize and regulate it as long as the gambling takes place only within that state's borders.
No state currently allows online gambling, but a bill approved by New Jersey legislators is sitting on the governor's desk awaiting his signature, and bills are being considered in Florida and California.
Gaming lobbyists making a heavy push in the Iowa Legislature said online poker on overseas-based websites is already rampant. Legalizing it here would assure Iowans they're participating in an honest game - and allow the state to take a cut.
"What is driving this is the recognition that you have an existing activity that's already taking place in an unregulated environment, and the revenue is all flowing overseas," said Kirk Uhler, vice president of government affairs for , a California company that would seek to be the operator of the state's online poker network if it were approved.
An estimated 150,000 Iowans are already illegally playing online poker, depriving the state of $30 million to $35 million in gaming taxes each year, Uhler said.
Last year, a proposal for legalizing online gambling fell apart amid divisiveness before legislation was introduced. One of lawmakers' arguments was that children and teenagers could potentially gamble online if they got a parent's password.
The new bill would require safeguards to block players under age 21, prevent fraud or cheating, and to confine activity to within Iowa's borders.
SOURCE-desmoines register
It would also settle a long-running dispute between the state's horse breeders and the Altoona racetrack over how purse money should be divvied up, and would let casinos off the hook for referendum votes, according to a copy of the freshly drafted bill obtained Thursday.
It would be "a win-win" for Iowans who gamble and for those who don't, with a mix of gambling policy that has merit, said state Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, chairman of the Senate committee that will closely examine the bill.
But because gambling inspires fierce passions in Iowa, debate over the bill is bound to get contentious and entangled in other political issues.
The most avant-garde piece would allow state-regulated casinos to allow Iowans ages 21 and older to play online poker on their personal computers. Approved gamblers would put cash into special accounts, set maximum limits for bets and length of play, then log on to a password-protected website to play cards at a virtual poker table.
Internet gambling is illegal, untaxed and unregulated in the United States, but federal law permits states to legalize and regulate it as long as the gambling takes place only within that state's borders.
No state currently allows online gambling, but a bill approved by New Jersey legislators is sitting on the governor's desk awaiting his signature, and bills are being considered in Florida and California.
Gaming lobbyists making a heavy push in the Iowa Legislature said online poker on overseas-based websites is already rampant. Legalizing it here would assure Iowans they're participating in an honest game - and allow the state to take a cut.
"What is driving this is the recognition that you have an existing activity that's already taking place in an unregulated environment, and the revenue is all flowing overseas," said Kirk Uhler, vice president of government affairs for , a California company that would seek to be the operator of the state's online poker network if it were approved.
An estimated 150,000 Iowans are already illegally playing online poker, depriving the state of $30 million to $35 million in gaming taxes each year, Uhler said.
Last year, a proposal for legalizing online gambling fell apart amid divisiveness before legislation was introduced. One of lawmakers' arguments was that children and teenagers could potentially gamble online if they got a parent's password.
The new bill would require safeguards to block players under age 21, prevent fraud or cheating, and to confine activity to within Iowa's borders.
SOURCE-desmoines register
