(Radio Iowa) – A five-year moratorium on new casinos in Iowa has passed the Iowa House this (Thursday) afternoon and the same proposal has been approved by a committee in the senate. If the bill becomes law by next Thursday morning, it will block state regulators from considering the application for a new casino in Cedar Rapids. The Racing and Gaming Commission is scheduled to vote on the Cedar Crossing Casino project on February 6th.

Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, points to recent studies suggesting a Cedar Rapids casino would draw customers — and revenue — from currently operating casinos. “I think the cannibalism is very real,” Kaufmann said. “…I think a ruling of this significance should have us electeds’ involvement.”

Representative Sami Scheetz, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the legislature should let the Racing and Gaming Commission make the call.  “It shouldn’t be our job, the second of third week of session, to be protecting existing casino operators,” Scheetz said.