CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The revenue from Iowa’s 19 casinos dropped for a third consecutive fiscal year. According to revenue reports, Iowa’s casinos took in $1.679 billion in revenue from July 2024 through June 2025. This is still higher than pre-pandemic levels. The report showed a 2.6% drop from last year’s $1.724 billion. In Eastern Iowa, Riverside Casino and Diamond Jo in Dubuque both saw declines in gaming revenue. The Isle in Waterloo and Q Casino in Dubuque, which is in the midst of significant renovations, both saw increased revenue. The drop comes ahead of a new casino now under construction in Cedar Rapids. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission awarded Linn County a gaming license despite protests from existing casinos fearing a new casino would cut into their revenues. The Cedar Rapids casino is slated to open at the end of next year. This is the third consecutive year of declines in gaming revenue in Iowa after setting a revenue record in 2022, aided by a surge in gambling after the pandemic. Gaming revenue is still well above pre-pandemic levels. The state saw $1.463 billion in gaming revenue in FY2018, the last full year before Iowa casinos shut down for nearly 3 months due to COVID-19.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The City of Cedar Rapids will receive $25 million to enhance its flood protection and improve infrastructure. The City of Cedar Rapids will receive $25 million funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant will go toward improvements at I-380 to the Union Pacific Railroad. The city’s goal is to achieve permanent flood protection on both sides of the river. The city estimates the flood control project won’t be completed until the 2030s. It will cost $750 million in total.
WINTHROP, Iowa (KCRG) – A man was sentenced after being involved in a shooting last year. In May 2024, Ashton Root was charged with attempted murder after a shooting that occurred in Winthrop. Buchanan County Health Center Emergency Room reported a 56-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Officers investigated and found the incident stemmed from an argument between the victim and Root. It lasted at least two days leading up to the shooting. He was convicted of assault with intent to inflict serious injury. Root was sentenced to two years in prison on July 15.
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Insurance Division issued a warning regarding fraudulent Medicare accounts Wednesday. Letters have been sent out to Iowans on Medicare who may have been impacted by the scam. Those impacted will receive a letter stating the following: “We’re writing to inform you of an incident involving your personal information related to your Medicare.gov account. To help make sure your privacy is protected, we will mail you a new Medicare card with a new Medicare Number in the coming weeks. The incident involved currently unknown bad actors who accessed your data from an unknown source to fraudulently create Medicare.gov accounts. We’re sending you this letter so you understand this incident, how we’re addressing it, and additional steps you can take to protect your privacy. Your current Medicare benefits or coverage aren’t affected by this incident.” According to a news release, 103,000 Medicare beneficiaries across the U.S. have had a fake Medicare.gov account created using their personal information. CMS is working to deactivate affected accounts.
