• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / American Gaming Association study finds $2.5 billion casino impact on state

American Gaming Association study finds $2.5 billion casino impact on state

July 23, 2018 By Dar Danielson

American Gaming Association information on gambling in Iowa.

A report by the American Gaming Association finds the impact of the 19 state-licensed casinos is bigger than previously estimates. Iowa Gaming Association president, Wes Ehrecke says the AGA report looked at the job and dollar impact of the casinos.

“The ripple affect with the support that they have for a lot of the small businesses, the non-profits and more — they estimated that job support at about 15,660. And total economic impact of $2.5 billion,”Ehrecke says. He says his organizaton had estimated the impact on the state at one billion dollars.

The AGA report shows the impact of casinos was found to be widespread. “The support not only in charitable contributions — but often times the volunteer efforts of casino employees — as well as just the presence of having so many sponsorships and other ways that they support the community,”Ehrecke says. Ehrecke says the casino industry has come a long way in the state.

“It was difficult to imagine by anyone 27 years ago when the first riverboat casinos in the country opened up on April 1st 1991. Today now we have 19 commercial casinos that are by design and encouragement by our regulators to be premiere entertainment destinations,” Ehrecke says. He says the amenities that go along with the casinos are part of the big impact they have on communities.

“Most have some form of dinning and lodging and in some cases, golf courses, bowling alleys, spas and other entertainment entities that really make these worthwhile attractions,” according to Ehrecke. “Plus the meeting space, the concert venues that make it a really the cornerstone of any community in any region.”

Ehrecke says the casinos also take the concern of those who might develop a gambling problem very seriously. He says the gaming industry has always been at the forefront of responsible gaming and he says for the gaming industry the number of problem gamblers has held around one-percent. Ehrecke says they fund and encourage those with a problem to call the gambling addiction help line. The AGA survey looked across the gambling facilities in Iowa, with a special focus on the impact of the casinos in Dubuque and Council Bluffs.

The study was released as a part of its “getting to know gambling” campaign.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Recreation / Entertainment Tagged With: Gambling

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC