Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill proposing legal sports betting at state casinos, becoming the most recent state to attack the federal sports gambling ban.

The choice of states wanting the federal ban on sports betting to be repealed keeps growing, and Iowa just made it clear it wants a work of the action. A state Senate subcommittee unanimously approved legal sports gambling within the state, a measure intended to attract Congressional attention.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 allows only four states any a part of wagering on sports, and a US Circuit Court of Appeals decision last fall holds three of these to exceedingly limited gaming on sports. But a type of limited states, Delaware, is advancing its claim to broader gambling rights to the U.S. Supreme Court, and one of the vital many barred states, New Jersey, is suing at the claim the act is discriminatory.

Since then, Missouri and Rhode Island have passed resolutions asking Congress to withdraw the sports betting ban. Lawmakers across the country indicate that the gambling goes on, undeterred by the law, but taxes aren't collected at the illegal activity.

The Iowa bill would permit sports betting at any of the state's 17 licensed casinos. Like many states, Iowa is raring to create revenues by opening up sports gambling.

"We've heard about sports betting since I USED TO BE a pup," said Iowa Senate President Jack Kibbie. "It's already legal in lots of foreign countries. I'm just saying why not Iowa?"

National political observers are wondering whether the general public will around the country in favor of legalizing sports betting can overcome the lobbying and campaign millions spent by the NFL to dam sports wagering. While media have pounded the league for its hypocrisy, NFL officials remain adamant that no legal gambling need to be allowed on sports.

Published on February 3, 2010 by PrestonLewis

Read More... [Source: Sports Betting News]