To Be Announced...

Probably because we're running out of places to put them anyway. But, why would we be changing the rules if they weren't considering more expanded gaming?

All last year during the hubub of the approval for four or five more casinos...we heard over and over about how these were the last ones for a while. Then, the TouchPlay controversy blew up. With that revenue gone for the state, they might as well grease the industry for more...

Iowa reviews water-based casino rule

DES MOINES – Iowa opened the door just a crack to casino gambling in 1989 with a law allowing low-stakes betting on riverboat cruises.

Eighteen years later, the state’s gambling industry is fully grown, and the Legislature is considering a plan to scrap the requirement that casinos be located on water.

“It’s a vestige of the old days gone by,” said Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque, chairman of the committee that oversees gambling regulation. “We’re trying to update the code.”

Connolly said it’s “darn foolishness” to continue with the rule.

Yes...let's continue helping the slippery slope get even slipperier (sp?). Frankly, I didn't know that casinos were still required to be on water. We've opened the Riverside Casino near Iowa City and soon in Waterloo. I figured all you had to do was have a synonym for water in the name.

The Iowa Gaming Association, a lobbying group for the casino industry, argues that a rule change would cut down on the expense of putting water under the gaming floor, freeing up money for other amenities.

Basically, I guess they put huge water balloons under the building. Is that crazy or what?

But I guess we need to help the casino industry save more money.

Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby (R-Marion) has pretty much given up the fight against expanded gambling in Iowa. She says a change in the rules like this won't make much difference.

“I think Iowans are used to gambling,” Lundby said. “They don’t give a darn whether it’s on the river or whether it’s land-based.”

“When this started out nearly 20 years ago, this was supposed to be family entertainment,” she said. “You had to tour, there was a $200-a-day limit, and you had to have facilities on your boat for families and children to play games and eat pizza and have family fun. We are way past that.”

Did you honestly think that going to a casino would be a "family experience?" Come on, Mary...you can do better than that. About the only games kids are playing are Nintendo Game Boys in the car while waiting for their loser Mom to return - hopefully with more than the rent check she left with.

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