After the United States Supreme Court ruled in May that a federal law known as PASPA, was no longer valid, states across the nation have begun passing or considering legislation to begin offering the activity. New Jersey and Delaware already offer sports betting after quickly passing legislation and other states are not far behind. The latest to show interest in the industry is Iowa.
According to The Gazette, Representative Jake Highfill, has stated that everyone is all-in when it comes to sports betting, including lawmakers, casinos and retailers. Both the representative and the Iowa Lottery have been dealing with phone calls as stakeholders want to get in as a provider of sports betting services.
Back in June, the board of the state Lottery approved a motion, with a unanimous vote, to explore sports lottery and if it would be feasible in the state with lawmakers and vendors. The casino industry is also interested in sports betting and wants to see legislators approved legislation that will legalize the industry for casino platforms, including mobile applications.
House File 2448 is a measure that could be the starting point for Iowa to legalize sports betting. The bill was able to move forward in the House, however not far enough to see the bill become law. Highfill is the manager of the bill who is currently working with legislators in both the Senate and the House who are interested in seeing sports betting legalized, to hopefully see the measure move forward in the future.
The Iowa Gaming Association is also on board, supportive of House File 2448, with plans to meet with lawmakers over the summer to provide information on the benefits of sports betting legalization.