SEARCH NEWS:

 

Iowa Study Questioned

DES MOINES, Iowa – As reported by the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: "Gambling opponents are questioning whether an $87,000 state study focused on the social effects of gambling in Iowa was worth the money.

"The Iowa Legislature had ordered the study at the request of anti-gambling groups. Those groups wanted a report detailing the effect of gambling Iowa families and communities before state regulators decided how many new casinos could open in the state.

"But State Rep. Danny Carroll, R-Grinnell, a gambling opponent, found the final product lacking.

"…The state contracted with the University of Northern Iowa to conduct the study.

"Professor Deepak Chhabra of UNI's School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services led the study's research team. The team conducted phone interviews with more than 1,700 Iowans who live within 50 miles of a casino about their views on gambling.

"But former state economist Harvey Siegelman, who reviewed the UNI study, was critical of its methodology and said it contained too much unrelated information.

"…State Rep. Scott Raecker, an Urbandale Republican who has played a key role in the gambling debate, isn't so quick to write off the report and thinks any study on gambling is likely to be criticized.

"He said the study gives policy makers some answers as they wrestle with gambling decisions, although he believes it could have been more thorough…"

< Gaming News