Casino licences renewed in Iowa

The IRGC has renewed the licences of the 19 casinos in the state after meeting in Altoona on Tuesday.

US.- The 19 casino operation licences in Iowa have been renewed after the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) decided to do so during its Tuesday meeting at the Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona.

Iowa’s regulatory body grants one licence to a gambling company to run the games in the casino and another to a non-profit organisation to distribute the money they are required by the state to set aside.

Dakin Schultz, president of Missouri River Historical Development (MRHD), explained that “since August of 2014, MRHD has received over US$11 million in funds to distribute as grants, including over a million dollars in scholarships granted, with over half of that in the last two years alone,” and highlighted the benefits of moving the casino from a riverboat to the land.

Jerry Keizer of Doon, president of the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation, also talked about the funding they receive from the Grand Falls Casino: “Last October of 2017 we held our grant review banquet in the events center, where we distributed one million-235-thousand dollars to new projects in the surrounding communities.”

According to Steve Staebell, president of the Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Commission (which partners with the Catfish Bend Casino), “this year, southeast Iowa is sharing the benefits of nearly US$1.3 million made possible by these revenues.”