DES MOINES -- A study presented to lawmakers Thursday did little to settle whether Iowa casinos have contributed to a rise in crime or bankruptcy as gambling opponents have claimed.

Supporters of Iowa's gambling industry were quick to say the study confirmed that casinos are not a main cause of social problems in the communities where they are located.

But gambling opponents said they are disappointed in the study, which they had called for when state lawmakers approved an expansion of the gambling industry in 2004.

"I think that the study could have been more in-depth and a more thorough job (could have been) done," said Lisa Pierce, director the Central Iowa Gambling Treatment Program.

The study, completed by a University of Northern Iowa professor Deepak Chhabra and a research team, has already been criticized for its research methods. Harvey Siegelman, a former state economist who conducted a peer review, has called the UNI study "sloppy" and a "data dump."

Chhabra, a professor in UNI's School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Studies, made her final presentation before a legislative committee Thursday.

Critics said the study, for which the state paid $87,000, was mostly a poll of Iowans' perceptions of gambling. Gambling opponents had called for a study measuring the link between casinos and social problems, including crime, divorce, suicide and bankruptcy.

Senate Co-President Jeff Lamberti, R-Ankeny, said the study was important to help lawmakers understand the economic and social impacts of gambling, although he would law to see more data on whether bankruptcy and crime rates went up in counties with casinos.

"I just don't see a huge increase in those based on this study," Lamberti said.

Wes Ehrecke, president of the Iowa Gaming Association, said the study confirmed the industry's belief that the incidence of social problems in counties with casinos is comparable to counties without.

"The correlation between casinos and crime, the correlation between casinos and bankruptcy, is not evident, and I think this helps confirm that," Ehrecke said.

He said only about 1 percent of people who gamble do so compulsively.

"The gaming industry has worked very pro-actively to have increased funding and to do as much as we can for those individuals," Ehrecke said.

The state contract for the study had originally been awarded to Per Mar Security and Research Corp. in Davenport. The company withdrew from the contract after gambling opponents said the company had a conflict of interest because its security division has done business with Iowa's gaming industry.

Contact Charlotte Eby at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.