Worth County voters got to polls in gambling referendum

Voters in Worth County in north-central Iowa are deciding today if the county should seek a riverboat gambling license from the state. The county is one of three counties that will hold gambling votes this summer. Last week, Palo Alto county voters approved a plan to place a riverboat on Five Island Lake in Emmetsburg. Next month, Dickinson County voters will decide on a plan for a floating casino in the Spirit Lake area. The Iowa Racing and Gambling Commission imposed a moratorium on new licenses in 1998 to slow the growth of the gambling industry. Some state lawmakers have said Iowa’s slow economy could be rejuvenated by additional riverboat gambling licenses. Iowa currently has 13 casinos.