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Lawmakers Split on Expansion

DES MOINES, Iowa -- State lawmakers are split on whether to expand gambling in Iowa, with nearly half who responded to a survey saying the state shouldn't grant more casino licenses.

Two-thirds of the Legislature responded to a survey by The Des Moines Register, with 47 percent saying they opposed granting new licenses vs. 40 percent in favor. The rest were undecided.

The question of whether to allow table games such as blackjack at racetrack casinos drew an even closer split. The survey found 42 percent opposed to the idea and 38 percent in favor, with the rest unsure.

House Speaker Christopher Rants said the survey results confirmed his expectation that gambling expansion will probably pass or fail by a few votes.

"This is a debate that's up for grabs," Rants, R-Sioux City, said.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission set the stage for a gambling debate by asking the Legislature for direction on several issues, including whether the state should lift its five-year-old moratorium on new casino licenses.

Residents in Black Hawk, Franklin, Palo Alto, Wapello and Worth counties counties have voted to authorize new casinos and are waiting for the Legislature to make up its mind.

Copyright © Las Vegas Sun. Inc. Republished with permission.

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