IA SF173

Bill

A bill for an act concerning the licensing and regulation of gambling games, including a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 1069.)

Introduced
02/03/2025

In Committee
02/03/2025

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead

Introduced Session

91st General Assembly

Bill Summary

This bill concerns the licensing and regulation of gambling games. Under current law, the state racing and gaming commission (commission) is required to conduct a socioeconomic study on the impact of gambling on Iowans every eight years. The bill identifies certain topics the commission must examine for this socioeconomic study, and prohibits the commission from issuing a new license on or after July 1, 2030, until the required report on the socioeconomic study has been issued by the commission for 2029. The bill places a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses to conduct gambling games in excess of 19 licenses from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. The bill restricts gambling games licenses to those counties conducting gambling games on January 1, 2025. The bill allows the commission to authorize a gambling games licensee to move to a new location within the same county, to issue a gambling games license in a county if a licensed facility in that county is sold, and to issue a new license in a county if a previous license to conduct gambling games in that county was surrendered, not renewed, or revoked. Before a license is granted, the bill requires an operator of an excursion gambling boat to work with the economic development authority to encourage tourism from other states. The bill prohibits the commission from issuing a new gambling games license to an excursion gambling boat if the new license would impact an existing licensee located in a county contiguous to the Iowa border or a “rural county” (a county with a population less than 30,000). The bill prohibits the commission from issuing a new gambling games license if the new license would negatively impact the adjusted gross receipts of an existing gambling games licensee by more than 10 percent, or negatively impact the annual distributions of an existing qualified sponsoring organization. If the commission does not issue a gambling games license in a county, another applicant cannot apply for a license in the same county for eight years from the date of the decision not to issue. The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to January 1, 2025.

AI Summary

This bill addresses gambling game licensing and regulation in Iowa by implementing several key provisions. The state racing and gaming commission will be required to conduct a comprehensive socioeconomic study every eight years, with an expanded scope of examination including financial impacts, problem gambling analysis, market conditions, out-of-state tourism effects, and potential economic implications. From January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030, the total number of gambling game licenses will be capped at 19, and these licenses will be restricted to counties where gambling was already operating on January 1, 2025. The bill allows for some license flexibility, such as moving within the same county or transferring licenses when facilities are sold or previous licenses are surrendered. Before granting a new license, operators must work with the economic development authority to promote tourism, and the commission is prohibited from issuing licenses that would negatively impact existing licensees, particularly those in border or rural counties. The commission cannot issue a new license if it would reduce an existing licensee's adjusted gross receipts by more than 10% or harm a qualified sponsoring organization's annual distributions. Additionally, if a license is not issued in a county, no new applications can be submitted for that county for eight years. The bill takes effect immediately and applies retroactively to January 1, 2025.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (0)

No sponsors listed

Other Sponsors (1)

Local Government (Senate)

Last Action

Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Bisignano, and Schultz. S.J. 178. (on 02/03/2025)

Official Document

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF173

(3 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF173
BillText	https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/SF173.html

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
HF144	A bill for an act concerning the licensing and regulation of gambling games, including a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 80.)	Subcommittee recommends passage.	Similar To
HSB80	A bill for an act concerning the licensing and regulation of gambling games, including a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses, providing fees, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.(See HF 144.)	Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 144.	Related
SSB1069	A bill for an act concerning the licensing and regulation of gambling games, including a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.(See SF 173.)	Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 173.	Related

Bill > SF173

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (0)

Other Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Official Document

bill text

bill summary

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