A casino bill in Iowa is expected to come early in the upcoming legislative session. This bill will prevent new casinos from being built for the majority of this decade. The new legislative session begins on Monday.
Bill to Thwart Cedar Rapids Casino Expected to Come This Week

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Key Takeaways
- Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, will introduce the casino legislation
- The bill will stop casino expansion until 2029
- Kaufmann’s hope is that this is voted on before a Feb. 6 vote for a Cedar Rapids casino license
Bobby Kaufmann Comments
House Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, said that the legislation he’ll introduce is similar to what he put forth last year.
That legislation was approved in the House but failed in the Senate because the Senate didn’t act on it.
With this legislation, no new casinos can be built until 2029. However, the main motivation is to prevent Cedar Rapids from pursuing a license.
Casino in Cedar Rapids
Tiffany O’Donnell (Republican), the Cedar Rapids City Council and Mayor, hopes the state will give a license to Cedar Rapids Development Group. This group of local businesspeople wants to build a venue valued at $275 million.
It would be called Cedar Crossing Casino, and the city would own it.
Regulators in the state will vote on this on Feb. 6.
However, the gaming industry in Iowa appears to oppose a casino in Cedar Rapids, citing saturation due to Nebraska legalizing gambling and cannibalizing casinos in Iowa.
Kaufmann says that a casino would put his constituents’ jobs in jeopardy. He’s in a district with Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, which is about 30 minutes away from Cedar Rapids.
Studies show that a casino in Cedar Rapids would generate $80 million in new taxes. However, it would divert about $68 million from casinos in Riverside, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Support from Community
Cedar Rapids residents have twice voted on a referendum for gaming in Linn County, the most recent vote coming in 2021.
“The residents of Linn County have spoken twice now about their desire to have that casino within Linn County in Cedar Rapids, and the legislature should stay, stay out of it and let the process that is the law currently take place,” said Rep. Jeff Cooling, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids.
On the other hand, a poll conducted by Iowans for Common Sense, a casino opposition group, shows that two-thirds of Iowa residents across the state oppose casino expansion.
Kaufmann’s legislation faces a deadline: the vote is on Feb. 6. He believes it’ll pass through committees within the second week of the session.
Richard Janvrin, a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in English/Journalism, has been a professional writer since 2015. Specializing in sports, sports betting, and online casinos, Richard began his casino writing journey following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. Since then, he has crafted various casino-related content, including how-to guides, online casino reviews, bonus/promotion overviews, and breaking news. Richard is dedicated to delivering the most current and precise news in the online casino industry.
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