Governor Kim Reynolds.
Governor Kim Reynolds is not advocating or opposing the idea of legalizing sports betting in Iowa.
“We’ll work with the legislators and we’ll see what that looks like next session,” Reynolds told reporters Tuesday.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling prompted states like New Jersey and Delaware to legalize sports betting. Delaware also has a sports lottery. Last week, the Iowa Lottery’s board of directors voted to have lottery staff research how a sports lottery might work here. The governor said the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission which oversees the state’s casino industry is also examining the issue.
“The different agencies will be looking at that. I’m sure legislators will have questions, so that’s just a way for them to be prepared for that,” Reynolds said. “I’m not advocating one way or the other.”
Iowa Lottery officials say several of the lottery’s largest retailers have said that if sports betting becomes legal in Iowa, they want the option of offering it in their stores. The casino industry has been lobbying legislators to let state-licensed casinos run sports book operations.