Iowa has moved very close to legal sports betting. The Senate and House have approved a legislative piece that would legalise sports betting in the state. Now, the bill only needs the governor’s signature for the final approval. However, Kim Reynolds has not decided whether she will sign it or not.
According to a recent poll, 52% of the residents are against legalised betting on professional sports. “That’s what we’ll take into consideration when I sit down with the policy team and go through the bill and we’ll make the decision going forward,” Governor Reynolds said.
The bill authorises the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which already regulates state casinos, to set rules for betting on professional, collegiate and international sporting events. Lawmakers believe that taxes and licensing fees could bring up to US$2.3 million to US$4 million annually in revenue.
