The latest report on the 19 state-regulated casinos shows their economic impact on the state tops one billion dollars.
Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko says that includes all the money spent by the facilities. “It is payroll, it’s employees coming from Iowa, it’s goods and services being supplied by Iowans. Obviously, it’s taxes that are being paid in stay in the state, and then additional charitable contributions that are made by the casinos,” Ohorilko says. “And that’s separate from those contributions made by the licensed nonprofit partners.”
He says nearly 92% of spending by casinos is with Iowa companies. “And what’s even more impressive is when you factor out some of the items that cannot be purchased inside the state of Iowa,” he says.
