The Iowa Gaming Association strives to dispel myths about gaming to allow citizens to make informed decisions based upon fact. While opponents cite anecdotal evidence which suggests the gaming industry is responsible for a number of social problems, independent studies have consistently proven otherwise. The following are just some of the studies that can be viewed in its entirety.
National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC)
Published in June of 1999, the NGISC conducted a comprehensive study of the social and economic implications of gambling within the United States.
Socioeconomic Impact of Gambling on Iowans
In March of 2005, a team of researchers from the University of Northern Iowa presented their findings on the socioeconomic impact of gaming in Iowa, including the economic impact of gambling at existing Iowa casinos on the local community; socioeconomic characteristics of gamblers; perceptions of social impact of gambling on the local community; and the impact of problem gambling.
Peer Review of Socioeconomic Impact of Gambling on Iowans
The Iowa Legislative Council requested comments on the Socioeconomic Impact of Gambling Study that was conducted by the University of Northern Iowa. Following are links to the reports from two different consultants:
The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)
The Division on Addictions (DOA) at the Cambridge Health Alliance, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School is one of the country’s premier centers for the study of addictive behavior. The center’s mission is to strengthen worldwide understanding of addiction through innovative research, education and information exchange. In the spirit of the mission, the Division has created the BASIS, a virtual institute to advance addiction science, and addiction-related education and clinical services. The BASIS provides a forum for the free exchange of information related to addiction, and public access to the latest scientific developments and resources in the field.
The Iowa Gambling Treatment Program Evaluation Services Project: Follow-up Study Final Report
"Facing the Odds: The Mathematics of Gambling and Other Risks" is a middle-school curriculum on probability, statistics and mathematics developed by Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions and the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. It was designed to enhance students' critical thinking ability, number sense and knowledge of mathematics of gambling so that they can develop rational views about gambling and make their own informed choices when confronted with gambling opportunities. An online version of the curriculum is now available thanks to support from the National Center for Responsible Gaming.
The Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders
The Institute was established in 2000 as a program of Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions. Their mission is to alleviate the individual, social, medical and economic burdens caused by pathological gambling through support of rigorous scientific research. This website offers several comprehensive resources and studies.
Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of Pathological Gambling
The findings of this committee have been published in a 352-page book, available in hard cover.
U.S. Department of the Treasury
A study of the Interaction of Gambling and Bankruptcy was conducted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1999. This study found no correlation between the proximity to a casino and bankruptcy rates.