The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission held a public hearing Thursday to discuss its proposed regulations to govern Iowa sports betting. Sources told Legal Sports Report the meeting went largely without issue, an unsurprising case given regulations that closely mirror Iowa’s recently passed sports betting law.

As nearby Indiana pushes toward a September 1 launch to open before the start of the NFL season, Iowa hopes to do the same. Retail sports wagering clearly can be ready sooner but the law allows for statewide mobile Iowa sports betting as well.

The draft regulations largely codify what’s already laid out in the bill that moved through the Iowa state legislature this spring. The law strikes a reasonable balance of fostering healthy market competition and addressing concerns of various interest groups.

Those hoping to see betting on sports in Iowa prior to the September 5 start of the NFL can take heart in the IRGC schedule. The commission meets on July 30 and August 22, and it’s possible it could finalize sports betting regulations at either meeting.