(Radio Iowa) – A bill eligible for debate this week in the Iowa Senate would legalize wagering on E-sports. Betting on video game competitions among multiple players is legal today in Nevada and New Jersey. Susan Daeman, a lobbyist for the Ameristar Casino in Council Bluffs, says E-sports is hugely popular. “So it’s already happening out there and they’re already betting on it, so I view this kind of like sports wagering,” Daeman says. “This allows the state to regulate it, so we make sure that people who are of ages that shouldn’t be doing it are not going it.”

Critics like Daniel Summe of The Family Leader say it’s a dangerous expansion of gambling, particularly for younger Iowans. “I think is going to result in a lot of ads,” Summe says. “Even though minors still can’t gamble here, they’re going to be targeted with a lot of advertisements. Also, as an industry, video game gambling is just not in the same place as traditional sports.” And he cites a federal investigation over allegations of bribes and match fixing by some professional E-sports players.

Bill backers say state regulators would only allow betting on professional and sanctioned E-sports leagues and it’s illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to gamble in Iowa. Kathryn Kueter is the legislative liaison for Concerned Women for America of Iowa and she’s asking legislators to take a hard look at the bill. “This bill is bringing the world of gambling into the living rooms of Iowans and though, perhaps not the intent, it is giving children a front row seat to the enticement of gambling,” Kueter says.

Christopher Rants, a lobbyist for DraftKings and Fan Duel, says the industry originally thought betting on E-sports had been legalized in 2019 when Iowa lawmakers made it legal to wager on sporting events. “It’s a legitimate market and it can be a regulated market,” Rants says. “Again, it’s the kind of thing that we thought we were authorizing the first time through, so we would ask the legislature to finish the job and authorize it for those people who are of age.”

Another part of the bill would get rid of required criminal background checks for casino employees who are not directly engaged in conducting or overseeing the gambling operation. Iowa Gaming Association president and C-E-O Wes Ehrecke says casinos are competing with other businesses in the hospitality industry who don’t require background checks for new employees.

“We’re saying for those type of positions, especially in this tight labor market and trying to compete for like the dishwasher, the housekeeper, a variety of those positions that have nothing to do with the gaming, but to be able to not to be required to have a background check because the hotel right across the street or the restaurant or a variety of other entertainment (venues) do not require that same background check on them,” Ehrecke says.

Dave Joseph of the Iowa Department of Public Safety says doing away with background investigations for lower level staff in the casinos raises concerns. He says every year people with active warrants and multiple felonies lie about their criminal histories on job applications just to get inside the casino. “While those individuals are not directly related to gaming — they’re not dealers or working in the cage or anything like that, they do still have access to the facility,” he says. “They are able to observe the money routes when they’re doing their money drops, they’re able to look at the camera locations, evaluate security status.”

The bill passed the House three weeks ago on a 71 to 28 vote. A key senator is proposing tightening up a section of the bill that would let customers use their smart phones to access a bank account — for cashless wagering.

(Iowa City, Iowa) – A fatal collision between a semi and a car occurred at around Noon Sunday, near Iowa City. The State Patrol reports a 2006 Toyota Prius  was hit from behind by a 2022 International semi, as both vehicles were traveling east on I-80 in the right lane, near mile marker 248.5.

One person suffered minor injuries, one was seriously hurt and another died. No names were released, pending notification of family. Two of the crash victims were wearing seat belts, the person who died was not wearing their seat belt. The semi was registered to Schuster Enterprise, LTD., out of Le Mars.

The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. Troopers were assisted at the scene by Johnson County Fire and EMS, and DOT officials.

(Tabor, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies responded at around 7:27-p.m., Saturday, to a residence on Elm Street in Tabor for a report of a disturbance. They arrested 39-year-old Jeffrey Dale Hankins, of Tabor, for Simple Assault. Hankins bonded out of jail on $300 bond.

Jeffrey Dale Hankins

Later that same evening, Fremont County Deputies were called to a report of suspicious activity near the intersection of 185th Ave and 250th Street, near Percival, where they found a large underage drinking party at that location. Nine people were arrested.

Among those taken into custody, was:

• 18-year-old Taylor Bower, of Massena.
• 18-yearold Mark Wurtlele, and 19-year-old Samuel Draus, both of Nebraska City, Nebraska
• 19-year-old Braedan Chipman, of Union, Nebraska
• 19-year-old Wyatt Taylor, of Auburn, Nebraska
• 18-year-old Kyleigh Rossmanith, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska
• and two, unnamed juveniles.

All were arrested for possession of Alcohol by underaged persons, all were issued court dates and released from the scene.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Hastings was arrested Sunday night, following a stolen dog report in Mills County. Deputies were called to Dollar General in Sidney, where the dog had been tracked to by the owner. Deputies made contact with 26-year-old Jaymie Ilene Rowe, who was allegedly in possession of the stolen dog.

Rowe was placed under arrest for Theft 2nd Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The dog was returned to the owner, unharmed.

Jaymie Rowe

Rowe is being held at the Fremont County Jail on $6,300 bond. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case. More charges are pending.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope Reports:

At around 7:30-p.m. Sunday, Fremont County Deputies were called to the 1900 Block of Park Street in Hamburg, for a report of a possibly intoxicated female driving recklessly in the yard of a church.

The vehicle, a 1998 Dodge Dakota, driven by 32-year-old  Ashley Frost, of Hamburg, fled the scene prior to deputies’ arrival. Witnesses advised the vehicle was traveling at an extreme high rate of speed southbound on Washington Street at E Street, where it collided with a southbound 2021 Dodge Ram, operated by Charles Mincer of Lake Toxaway, NC. Frost’s vehicle then left the roadway, entering a culvert at Washington and D Street.

Mincer and his passenger were treated and released at the scene. Frost was transported to Grape Community Hospital with serious injuries. Alcohol and speed were factors in the accident. Multiple charges are pending.  Deputies were assisted by, Hamburg Fire and Rescue, Riverton Fire and Rescue, and Lifenet.

(Creston, Iowa) – The driver of a 2011 Chevy Impala was arrested following an investigation Sunday, into a property damage accident, in Creston. According to Creston Police, the car left its lane as it was on Cherry Street, just south of Howard, and struck a legally parked 2018 Chevy Silverado pickup that was by the side of the road. The accident happened at around 2-a.m.

Police determined the driver of the Impala, 46-year-old Kevin Joel Cavin, of Creston, was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, and cited for Failure to stay in the proper lane.

Damage to the vehicles amounted to $1,700 altogether. There were no injuries.