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Iowa is officially open for business for sports betting. Today at noon several casinos around the state held ceremonies and began taking their first wagers.
At the ribbon-cutting for the sportsbook at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, state senate majority leader Jack Whitver (WIT-ver) of Ankeny said before now some Iowans were already betting illegally.
We decided the right path forward was to bring sports wagering out of the darkness into a controlled, regulated environment that offers consumer protection along the way.
The state will collect taxes from sports gambling, but it may only be a small percentage of what is already collected from casinos.
Whitver and State Senator Tony Bisignano of Des Moines made the first bets at Prairie Meadows. Bisignano on the New York Yankees to win their game and Whitver on Iowa State to beat Iowa this year in football.
Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has dropped out of the race for the White House.
John Hickenlooper presented himself as a moderate with the executive experience he said he could use to win over Republicans in D.C. He repeatedly criticized fellow Democratic candidates for their more liberal policies, which he said could alienate voters.
In a video announcing the end of his campaign, he said he’s seriously considering a bid for the U.S. Senate in Colorado.
People want to know what comes next for me. I’ve heard from so many Coloradans who want me to run for the United States Senate. They remind of how much is at stake for our country and our state. I intend to give that some serious thought.
Hickenlooper is not the only one in the crowded Democratic field who could run for Senate instead. Some Democrats have called on Beto O’Rourke of Texas and Steve Bullock of Montana to do the same thing.
