A nickel in the slot, another hit, please, dealer…

On Monday, an Iowa Senate committee voted to stop the issuing of gambling licenses in Iowa for the next five years.

In plain English: all the gambling venues and casinos Iowa now possesses, is it. And that’s all there will be.

The bill would prohibit new licenses for casinos or race tracks until mid-2003. Governor Terry Branstad has proposed the five year moratorium, and leaders in the legislative chambers have voiced their confidence that the measure will pass sometime this year.

The bill would also ban indefinitely gambling licenses, for every waterway gambling venue with the exception of the Mississppi and Missouri rivers.

This measure would leave the town of Osceola as the only floating casino in Iowa’s interior.

Limiting gambling venues is a good idea.

Let’s face it, even though the Senate committee is taking this measure – and hats off to them for doing so -the legislation will not decrease Iowa’s new found fortune, it will only contain it.

As Iowans, we have faced the silly jokes about our supposed lack of sophistication compared to other states. No we don’t have a pro basketball, football, baseball or hockey team. And yes, the closest store we have to a Macy’s is Younkers.

But, with the Iowa Senate committee passing this bill, it reiterates that Iowa is still the place of values that will make you smile.

Commercials of fathers neglecting their children to gamble can be seen more frequently since Prairie Meadows adopted its slot machines.

We’re not saying that gambling is bad and should be banned, but a limit should be set.

People need to realize that these fast money making establishments also have disadvantages, and consequences come to those who partake in gambling activities.

Iowa may try to catch up to those bigger cities, like New York and Chicago, by focusing on only one entity, but how many more Las Vegas’ does the United States need?

It is refreshing that the money from gambling will be used to improve Iowa’s schools, but the state needs to break away from the phrase “If you don’t play, you won’t win.”

Let’s move away from gambling and work on getting a pro basketball or football team.