 |
|
 |
 |
Research shows that 97 percent of people who choose to spend their entertainment dollars at a casino do so responsibly with discretionary funds. Our goal, for the one percent of people identified as pathological and two percent of people who are problem gamblers, is to help family and friends identify warning signs and find help.
The Iowa Gaming Association (IGA) has had extensive discussions with gambling addiction treatment providers and other organizations interested in curbing problem gambling.
|
| Goals of These Efforts Include: |
| • |
Restoring funds earmarked by the State for the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program that have been redirected by the Iowa Legislature. |
• |
Increasing public understanding of the nature and prevalence of problems among compulsive gamblers who participate in gaming activities. |
| • |
Increasing public knowledge on where to seek help for a gambling problem for oneself or others. |
• |
Improving understanding of problem gambling in the context of current public policy as it is formulated by the legislature and other policy-making bodies. |
|
 |
| Commitment to Increase Public Knowledge of Gaming in Iowa |
The IGA is committed to increasing the understanding that Iowans have about gaming in Iowa and the positive impact it has on the state's economy.
The IGA supports the contributions its members make to Iowa's communities and looks forward to opportunities to tell the gaming industry's great story. Through participation in media interviews, speaking engagements at trade association meetings, foundations, chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, and service groups, the IGA also strives to dispel myths about gaming to allow citizens to make informed decisions based upon fact. |
|
 |
| The IGA Website |
The IGA website is designed to provide accurate and timely information about the state's gaming industry. In an effort to advocate safe and fun gaming in Iowa, the IGA site provides a variety of information about responsible gaming resources and treatment programs. The positive impact of Iowa’s gaming industry is detailed in the series, “Gaming Benefits Iowa,” which offers a detailed look at the different state programs that benefit from gaming tax revenues. Supporting economic development is a central theme among Iowa Gaming Association members. In this site you will find information about the Buy Iowa First program, which allows Iowa-based vendors to be competitive in bidding with out-of-state businesses. IGA members pay hundreds of millions of dollars in state taxes annually. The IGA site demonstrates how these funds are appropriated by the Iowa General Assembly for a variety of visionary purposes and are successfully reinvested in Iowa.
In addition to addressing economic development through entertainment, this site also provides links to the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program and the National Center for Responsible Gaming. Also included are links to other gaming sites and useful information such as the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, the American Gaming Association, the nonprofit entities that hold gaming licenses, as well as the casino members of the IGA. |
|
 |
| IGA Member Communication |
| Sharing timely and accurate information amongst IGA members and the organizations they impact, is vital to the continued success of the gaming industry and the valuable economic contribution it provides in Iowa. The IGA assists with communication in the key areas of employees, vendors, nonprofit license holders, charitable recipients and with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, the gaming regulator for the licensed casinos that upholds the integrity and high standards established in Iowa. |
|
|
|
