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Corbett proposes legalizing sports betting to fund mental health services


{p}Mayor of Cedar Rapids and Republican candidate for Governor Ron Corbett said Wednesday that he supports the legalization of sports betting in the state as a source of revenue to support mental health services. (Photo: Caroline Cummings){/p}

Mayor of Cedar Rapids and Republican candidate for Governor Ron Corbett said Wednesday that he supports the legalization of sports betting in the state as a source of revenue to support mental health services. (Photo: Caroline Cummings)

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One candidate for governor says he’s raising the stakes to help the mental health crisis in Iowa.

Mayor of Cedar Rapids and Republican candidate for Governor Ron Corbett said Wednesday that he supports the legalization of sports betting in the state as a source of revenue to support mental health services.

Right now, sports betting is legal in only four states: Nevada, Oregon, Delaware and Montana. Sports gambling on professional and college sports teams isn't the only gambling illegal in Iowa—online fantasy sports betting is also illegal in the state. The legislature proposed a bill last session in an effort to change that, but to no avail.

“They predict that next year another $40 million to $90 million will have to be cut from the budget so it doesn’t look like they’re going to have the resources to help with this mental health crisis. This would be new revenue for the state and that’s been the challenge for the whole mental health crisis,” said Corbett.

The U.S. Supreme Court argued a case last week that could pave the way for legalization of sports gambling in all states as early as next year.

Corbett says he believes the Iowa lottery should handle sports betting should it become legal in the state but says he is open to the idea of Casinos dealing with it.

He’s commissioning a survey to hear what Iowans think about the issue.

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