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Riverboat gambling arrives in Iowa amid farm crisis decades ago
On a Mississippi River stretch 25 years ago Iowa welcomed riverboat gambling amid farm crisis and job losses. The industry grew into land based casinos, generating more than 22.6 billion in tax revenue and over 1 billion annual impact, per the Iowa Gaming Association. The era sparked controversy as lawmakers faced detours in Quad Cities and Rock Island shifts while unemployment rose sharply in the early 1980s.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
ES Moines
Mississippi River
Iowa
Iowa Gaming Association
Quad-City Times
Quad Cities
President
Illinois
Rock Island