A member of the board of directors of Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona says Prairie Meadows will ask state lawmakers in the upcoming session to approve internet gambling at the track. Tom Whitney briefed the Iowa Racing and Gaming commission on the issue at their meeting Thursday.
“It allows you to rather than being required to be at the track and make a bet, or being at the track for the purpose of making a parimutuel bet on a race on another track, you can go to your computer and make a direct bet into Prairie Meadows,” Whitney says.
Federal lawmakers are considering outlawing internet gambling nationwide, but Whitney is not concerned. “The question is where is congress going to be in terms of the future. And you can’t plan your program on the basis of what legislation might or might not be passed by the United State Congress. Obviously we would honor anything that congress did if it became law,” Whitney says. Whitney told the commission that other interest groups including horse breeders are on board with the proposal.