Representatives of Iowa’s casinos, grocery stores, restaurants, the Iowa Lottery and the horse racing industry are all taking a shot at publicly explaining why they should get a slice of the action if the state legalizes betting on pro and college sports. A hearing was held at the statehouse on how sports wagering might be authorized in Iowa. Amy Campbell is a lobbyist for the Iowa Behavioral Health Association, which operates the gambling treatment programs in Iowa. She’s telling legislators the group is opposed to expanding gambling options in Iowa.
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Keith Miller, a Drake University law professor, is an expert on gambling. He says there’s a clear public health issue.
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If lawmakers do legalize sports betting in Iowa, Miller says it’s important to nail down the exact amount of money dedicated to treatment for gambling addictions, or that money will be redirected to other programs when the economy sours and the state budget shrinks.