On September 16th, 2008, a state legislator says a small group of state legislators is quietly making a compromise to allow gaming device in adult-only facilities as a way to help the bar owner's concerns about Iowa's new smoking ban. Representative Brian Quirk, a Democrat from New Hampton commented that allowing limited and regulated gaming machines in bars could help offset a the result of the smoking ban, which went into effect in July.
Brian Quirk commented that the group is suggesting that gambling devices like Video Keno be allowed in adult-only facilities. He said that the Iowa Smokefree Air Act, which prohibits smoking in all public places including restaurants and most bars, exempts casino facilities, putting bars at a bad position.
Quirk said that they are making this inequity between casino facilities and bars. He added that if bars were given permission to host some kind of gambling device, on a limited basis and heavily regulated, that would be a big help on keeping bars open. The state went through a battle several years ago when the Iowa Lottery started installing TouchPlay machines in thousands of retail stores all over the state. Critics said that machines cannot be fully distinguished from slot machines.
The state legislature then banned the TouchPlay machines and the state paid out millions in settlements to TouchPlay manufacturers, distributors and operators. While the TouchPlay gaming machines were place in different kinds of retail outlets from stores to bowling alleys, Quirk's bill would permit the gaming machines to bars that are for adults-only.
[08-10]
Louis Blechdom
