End separate rules for gaming industry

After reading the different renditions of the (Cedar Rapids) decision by our Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, I have come to this conclusion.

Only the early requests for a gaming license are guaranteed a lifetime income that has no limitation or cap as to the amount of income that can be garnered as long as they keep feeding the state their share of the profit. This guarantee is kept by the commission by not allowing other groups to have a license if it could possibly impair or cut into the original licensee profit or harm their business in any way, thus guaranteeing the original casino owner a monopoly.

The commission members did what the state had set up in their original rules to protect the first owners business and profit. It also protects those owners when they are in possession of another license in a nearby location. These owners are in the process of building a casino in the Davenport area, not much further than Cedar Rapids is to Riverside. This will not affect the Riverside income since the same owner will own both casinos.

To my knowledge, casinos are the only 'protected” industry in this country (other than politicians). They do not even have to abide by the No Smoking law. It is time to look into the rules that the commission members have to live by. Gambling should be governed by the same rules as any other industry.

Lyle D. Matthews

Cedar Rapids