Iowa Legislature to Battle Illegal Online Gambling Sites

While Iowa has not yet passed online casino legislation, they do have a robust retail/online sports betting program in place. Like so many other states, these licensed providers are being forced to compete with offshore/illegal wagering sites that seem to operate without oversight. This clearly puts licensed operators at a disadvantage.

To combat this problem, legislation has been proposed that would give Iowa's gambling regulatory agency enough power to combat outsiders within the gambling community.

The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing is seeking to get legislation passed that would give the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission the ability to combat the use of illegal gambling sites by residents. They would be authorized to levy sanctions against illegal online operators who are trying to serve the public without proper licensing. This could be done by the Commission issuing cease-and-desist orders.

This legislation is intended to protect Iowa residents from illegal activities being perpetrated by rogue offshore operators. This same legislation could also be used to ban sweepstakes casinos that are operating in at least 38 states. Notably, this is a red-hot topic, especially in states where licensed online casino operators are entitled to protection from illegal competition.

This is quickly becoming a common theme throughout the country. As the population of online gamblers continues to grow, so too does the need for more aggressive protective legislation. There's a good chance this legislation will pass soon.