Iowa ruled out of the 2014 online poker race as lawmakers decide the best approach is to sit, watch and learn.
With the early shoots of online gaming in New Jersey promising to produce some blooming flowers, the world of gambling waits with baited breath to see which state will be the fourth to start filling their tax coffers with online pokers money.
What about Iowa?
In 2012, the Iowan hat was well and truly in the ring after the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission carried out an online gambling study that showed the legalization of online poker could generate anywhere between $3-$13m in state taxes (with a gap that wide they should have saved their money, wet their finger and held it in the air.)
The Iowa Senate got excited enough to approve an online poker measure that would allow the state run casinos and racetracks to offer Internet poker, and then the paperwork started to gather some serious dust.
Iowa Lottery Director, Terry Rich, has just swept a palm across the dust by reminding the people that matter that the state code allows the Lottery to offer online games, and in particular online poker, but has no plans to do so this year, claiming that the state is in ‘research and development mode,’ which is code for ‘sit back and watch what New Jersey does and then do it better.’
There is some noise from the wings that a state run online poker establishment would be the better way forward for Iowans. Sen. Brian Scoenjahn, D-Arlington was quoted as saying in kcrg.com, “My fear is that it’s like the Target credit card scam, except there are no protections,” he said. “If people are going to do it anyway, maybe Iowa ought to take a piece of the pie and regulate it.”
Wes Ehrecke, President and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association also chimed in with his view, “No discussion in the 2014 legislative session will take place to allow authorization of online intrastate poker to be played via casino portals. Rather, the industry will closely watch the introduction of i gaming in New Jersey and Delaware, plus Internet poker in Nevada. This will be an opportunity to learn what is working or not, including their regulations, compacts with other states, etc., and decide on suggested language for a bill to consider in 2015.”
Matt Eide, Eide & Heisinger, L.L.C. Lobbyist for the Winnebago Gaming Development Corporation, told PokerNews that the “The Iowa Legislature will not consider any iGaming legislation this year. Although a bill authorizing online poker passed the Iowa Senate in 2011, the Republican controlled House does not want to advance this type of legislation.”
The interview also revealed a lot of plate spinning by the state with proposed action to authorize two new casinos, a Fantasy Sports Bill to consider, and discussions to end greyhound racing all pushing the lawmakers to the limits.
So will Iowa be the next state to put a smile on the faces of the mass multi-tablers?
I don’t think so.
