(Radio Iowa) — The state’s top gambling regulator says Iowa’s casino industry appears on track to pay the State of Iowa about 320 million dollars in taxes during the current state fiscal year. Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission administrator Brian Ohorilko says that’s roughly equal to what the state-licensed casinos and race tracks collected in state taxes during the previous 12-month period. “That is really the story of the Iowa gaming dollar the past handful of years, ” Ohorilko says, “very predictable, very stable — a very mature market.”

Upgrades at the state-licensed casino in Riverside were completed last year and Ohorilko says that casino may see a slight increase in its revenue this year. “The I-74 bridge in eastern Iowa has impacted the Bettendorf casino. As that continues to be completed, we may see a bump in that market,” Ohorilko says. In western Iowa, a new Native American casino has opened in Carter Lake — potential competition for the three state-licensed casinos in Council Bluffs. “It’s really hard to speculate any impact in that area,” Ohorilko says.

Ohorilko says regulators are monitoring the casino in Marquette. “They’re having some trouble servicing some of their debt. It is not a profitability issue with the Iowa casino,” Ohorilko says. “It is a corporate issue and so I do not expect any interruption in employment or the facility being open, we just may see different owners, which could be a good thing.” Isle of Capri Casinos announced in October of 2016 that was selling the Marquette casino to a holding company based in Illinois for 40 million dollars.