Iowa tackles problem gambling

Ahead of the holiday season, the Department of Public Health has launched the Iowa Gambling Treatment programme to tackle problem gambling across the state.

US.- Responsible gambling is probably among the top priorities of any properly regulated jurisdiction. That’s why Iowa has taken a step towards controlling problem gambling in the state ahead of the holiday season.

Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has launched the Iowa Gambling Treatment programme. It’s a tool to help problem gamblers in the state and their families.

“Gambling problems are hard to talk about,” Eric Preuss, manager of the programme said. “Family and friends may not know how to help the person they care about and the problem gambler may feel alone or ashamed about their situation.”

The new programme in Iowa is also set to make help members or loved ones learn strategies to tackle problem gambling.

Iowa revenue

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has released the financial results from November, a month in which the market posted a 36.4% month-on-month decline. These results come despite an increase in sports betting handles.

People in the state spent US$59.3 million in sports betting, which represents a 27.6% rise from October. Last month also set a bigger difference between online and retail sports betting. Online sports betting registered US$33.7 million in sports bets, which is a 29.9% increase. However, retail posted a 24.8% decline to US$25.7 million.

Despite the handle results, the state posted a 36.4% decline due to a higher amount paid to customers. The total paid out was US$55.7 million, which translated into US#3.6 million in revenue. The retail vertical accounted for US$2.1 million, while online totalled US$1.5 million.