Iowa state Representative Jake Highfill is re-tooling a bill that he hopes will gain enough support to make daily fantasy sports legal in the state, The Des Moines Register reported Wednesday.
Iowa has long been on the list of prohibited states for most, if not all, daily fantasy operators. The state’s existing social gaming laws include stipulations that require a “bona fide social gathering,” caps wins and losses in a 24-hour period to $200, and disallows the contest organizer from taking a cut of the pool.
A similar bill easily gained state Senate approval during the Iowa Legislature’s last session, but failed to make it out of the house. Highfill, a Republican, told the Register his reworked bill will include an age limit, further regulatory structure and some form of taxation.
Attitudes in Iowa appear mixed toward daily fantasy sports, and divisions don’t seem to fall necessarily along party lines among legislators.
Democrat Jeff Danielson, chairman of the state Senate’s Government Committee spoke in favor of amending gaming laws to fit new realities.
“We cannot scare ourselves to death about issues that come up,” Danielson said. “This is Iowa. We learn to adjust and protect our citizens, and we will do that in the online gaming environment as well.”
Others on both sides of the aisle have expressed opposition to what they view as an expansion of gambling in the state, and the majority of Iowa residents appear to be opposed altering state laws to allow for DFS.
In a poll conducted in early 2015, 63 percent of respondents said they opposed legalizing cash payouts for fantasy sports; 26 percent were in favor, 11 percent were not sure.
The Iowa legislature reconvenes on Jan. 11.