Bill Legalizing Sports Betting Moves Forward

Senate File 2129, legalizing sports betting in Iowa, was passed out of its subcommittee this morning. The Senate subcommittee met at 8:15 this morning in Senate President Jack Kibbie’s office. The bill was amended to specify betting on professional sports only as opposed to college sports.

Senator Kibbie (D-Emmetsburg) pointed out that we know sports betting goes on, so we might as well legalize it. Billions of dollars are bet on professional sports world wide – why not in Iowa?

However, the legalization of sports betting in Iowa hinges on the passage of federal legislation legalizing it first. Currently, four states already have professional sports betting as their laws were grandfathered in by the courts.

Senator James Seymour (R-Woodbine) spoke against the bill, stating that there are ample opportunities for gambling already in Iowa, and in the current state of the economy, more don’t need to be added.

The bill will now move to the full committee of State Government for consideration.