By Mark Geary
KCRG-TV9 News
(Cedar Rapids – KCRG) -- As Iowa lawmakers opened a new legislative session Monday, the Iowa Lottery put its touch play program on hold. Governor Vilsack says touch play machines are spreading too quickly. So, he wants time to study the machines before bars and restaurants install any more.
It's hard to walk into a bar, restaurant or even a gas station without seeing one of these machines. Iowa businesses have installed more than 4,600 touch play machines since may 2003.
Companies claim the machines are good business. And, that's one big reason why the machines have become so popular.
(D) Sen. Wally Horn of Cedar Rapids told TV9, “So, what you're doing with a touch screen, you're giving another method of paying the rent or paying the bills by having that touch screen in the bar or restaurant."
For the next sixty days, a special task force will look at the effects of touch play machines. They'll examine a number of issues like whether there are enough safeguards to keep minors and problem gamblers away from the machines.
In the coming months, the legislature could do nothing, make a few changes, or even do something drastic like ban the machines.
(R) Sen. Stewart Iverson of Cedar Rapids told TV9, “It may be acceptable. It may not be acceptable to the legislature. I don't know. That's an issue we'll definitely talk about. Can I tell you what the answer is going to be? No."
But, as long as the cash keeps coming in, bars and restaurants will likely ask lawmakers to keep their hands off touch play. State gambling officials have also complained touch play machines are too similar to slot machines. And, they say the touch play machines create unfair competition for casinos.
Copyright CRTV Company
KCRG-TV9 News
(Cedar Rapids – KCRG) -- As Iowa lawmakers opened a new legislative session Monday, the Iowa Lottery put its touch play program on hold. Governor Vilsack says touch play machines are spreading too quickly. So, he wants time to study the machines before bars and restaurants install any more.
It's hard to walk into a bar, restaurant or even a gas station without seeing one of these machines. Iowa businesses have installed more than 4,600 touch play machines since may 2003.
Companies claim the machines are good business. And, that's one big reason why the machines have become so popular.
(D) Sen. Wally Horn of Cedar Rapids told TV9, “So, what you're doing with a touch screen, you're giving another method of paying the rent or paying the bills by having that touch screen in the bar or restaurant."
For the next sixty days, a special task force will look at the effects of touch play machines. They'll examine a number of issues like whether there are enough safeguards to keep minors and problem gamblers away from the machines.
In the coming months, the legislature could do nothing, make a few changes, or even do something drastic like ban the machines.
(R) Sen. Stewart Iverson of Cedar Rapids told TV9, “It may be acceptable. It may not be acceptable to the legislature. I don't know. That's an issue we'll definitely talk about. Can I tell you what the answer is going to be? No."
But, as long as the cash keeps coming in, bars and restaurants will likely ask lawmakers to keep their hands off touch play. State gambling officials have also complained touch play machines are too similar to slot machines. And, they say the touch play machines create unfair competition for casinos.
Copyright CRTV Company