Startup company has temporary green light to take wagers on election

Americans love to gamble. The American Gaming Association indicates Americans wagered almost $120 billion with legal sports books alone last year.

Then there’s also blackjack, slot machines, the lottery and now politics.

Host Jim Niedelman brings back Michelle Crawford and Kevin Perkins to discuss.

“Voting, in my opinion, is such a sacred privilege, and there’s been needed discussion around election integrity, so the concept of betting on this process gives me a lot of reservations,” Crawford said.

“I think that our elections should be publicly funded anyway,” Perkins said. “I’ve always felt like the taxpayers should have taxes used to publicly fund the election.”

To hear more from the panel, click on the video.

And now we want to hear from you, too, with our question of the week: What do you think about legalizing wagering on American elections? Please share your thoughts at 4therecord@whbf.com .

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record , a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you.  It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

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