Iowa Sports Betting

Named after the Native American Ioway tribe, the Midwestern US state of Iowa is a land of rolling plains and cornfields. History has shown Iowa to be one of the more progressive states in the US- in 1851 married women were granted property rights and in 1869 the states Supreme Court ruled that women should be able to study law. In 2009, Iowa’s Supreme Court declared that it was unconstitutional to forbid same-sex marriage. Iowa was also the first state to open a legal riverboat casino in 1991 and in 2019, the state legalized real-money sports wagering.

Is it legal to bet on sports in Iowa?

Yes, on 6 May 2019 Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 617 into law, legalizing land-based and state-wide mobile sports betting in Iowa. For mobile betting, residents are required to register their online accounts in person at a land-based sportsbook until 1 January 2021. After this, punters will be able to register sports betting accounts remotely from anywhere within state lines.

Under the legislation, license holders can operate two skins under a single sports betting license. The sports betting legislation set out a tax rate of 6.75% on sports betting revenue. A sports wagering license costs operators $45,000, which must be renewed for $10,000 on an annual basis.

Iowa’s sports betting market went live on 5 August 2019, with the launch of eight land-based sportsbooks and William Hill’s online sportsbook. With just 94 days between the signing of the bill and the launch of sports betting in the Hawkeye State, Iowa’s timeline to launch sports betting was one of the quickest in the US.

In Iowa, residents and visitors can also place pari-mutuel wagers both at racetracks in the state and at designated venues that offer interstate, simulcast betting. 

Where can I bet on sports in Iowa?

Residents and visitors to the state can place bets in person at a land-based casino sportsbook or online via a mobile betting app or betting site. Remember, to bet on sports online you must complete the registration of your online account at one of the state’s casino sportsbooks. As each licensed casino can offer two online sports betting skins, there could be as many as 38 online sports betting options in the future. Here are the locations where you can bet in Iowa along with their online partners:

What sports can I bet on?

Sportsbooks in Iowa take bets on a variety of sports including football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, NASCAR, boxing and UFC. Residents can bet on major leagues such as the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL, as well as collegiate leagues such as the NCAA football and basketball contests. 

However, Iowa’s sportsbooks are prohibited from taking proposition bets that involve Iowa’s college teams.

Iowa sports betting revenue

Iowa legalized sports betting and daily fantasy sports in May 2019. The Hawkeye State then went on to launch land-based and online betting simultaneously in August 2019. 

When Iowa launched sports betting, state law required residents to create their online sports betting accounts in-person at the state’s casino sportsbook facilities. However, this registration requirement came to an end in January 2021, paving the way for the state’s betting market to reach its full potential.

The activity is subject to a 6.75% tax rate on revenue.

Complete state reports can be accessed via the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission portal.

Last updated on 10th January 2022

Other gambling options

What else can I bet on in Iowa

Sports betting isn’t the only form of legal gambling in Iowa, residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of gambling activities. As previously mentioned, residents can wager on horse racing at venues across the state and can also bet on horse racing online via platforms like Twinspires.com, BetAmerica and TVG.  There is also a state-run lottery in place in Iowa where residents can also play in interstate draws and games. On top of this, there are a number of tribal and commercial casinos in the state that offer Vegas-style casino gambling. Casinos in Iowa offer a variety of gambling options such as:

•    Slots
•    Poker
•    Bingo
•    Craps
•    Roulette
•    Mississippi stud

Although casino gambling, lottery and horse racing is legal, Iowa does not permit online casino gambling or online poker. On the legal front, there is no mention of internet gambling in the state law, suggesting that online casino gambling is illegal. When it comes to online poker an attempt was made to legalize the activity but failed to gain enough support.

Are offshore gambling sites legal in Iowa?

Offshore gambling sites are not regulated or licensed to operate in Iowa and are therefore illegal. Aside from legality, we’d recommend steering clear of offshore gambling and sports betting sites because of the lack of regulation. This means they may not be secure or may not have measures in place to protect vulnerable players. You also have no way of knowing who is handling the money you deposit into these online accounts.

You can spot offshore gambling sites by looking at the website’s domain name. If you see a domain that ends in .EU or .AG, it does not hold a license to operate in Iowa and therefore should be avoided at all costs.

Is it safe to bet on sports in Iowa?

Yes, Iowa’s regulatory body has implemented sports betting regulations that place a strong focus on player protection. This ensures that sports betting in Iowa is safe and fair. However, bettors will have to make sure that they play safely and responsibly. If you are concerned that you or someone you care about may be suffering from problem gambling, the National Council on Problem Gambling has a number of resources available. The Iowa Gambling Treatment Program operates in the state and is responsible for general health and addiction services.

You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline via:

Phone: 1-800-522-4700

Text: 1-800-522-4700

Live Chat

You can contact the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program via:

Call: 1-855-581-8111

Text: 1-855-895-8398

Live Chat

Who regulates gambling in Iowa?

There are two bodies that oversee gambling in Iowa. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission was created by the Parimutuel Wagering Act in 1983, and is a five-member commission that’s responsible for overseeing gambling operations in the state. The Iowa Gaming Association is also responsible for ensuring that gambling venues in the state are operating in compliance with the law.

How old do I have to be to gamble in Iowa?

To conduct any form of gambling in Iowa you must be 21 years old. This includes playing the lottery, betting on horses, casino gambling and playing bingo.

The journey to legal and regulated sports betting in Iowa

1983 – Legislators in Iowa signed the Pari-mutuel Wagering Act into law. This made it legal for residents to wager on the outcome of horse and dog racing events in the state of Iowa. This led to the creation of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

1985 – The Iowa Lottery launched.

1989 – On 1 July, lawmakers expanded on the Pari-mutuel Wagering Act, allowing pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast races broadcast by a licensed pari-mutuel facility. This allowed residents to bet on horse and dog racing events that take place in other states.

On the same day, legislation was put into place that allowed the Commission to grant casino licenses to riverboat casinos in the state.

1991 – On 1 April, the state of Iowa opened the first riverboat casinos in the country. Three riverboat casinos opened for business, including the Dubuque Casino Belle, the President in Dubuque and the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf. Shortly after these casinos opened, Iowa’s fourth riverboat casino was launched when the Emerald Lady in Burlington opened on 10 May.

1992 – Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), prohibiting sports betting across US states. Four states were made exempt from the law: Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. These states already had legal sports betting regulations in place.

On 30 April the Winnebago True of Nebraska began operation of the WinnaVegas Casino. This was followed by the launch of the CasinOmaha venue owned by the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. Later that year, the Sac and Fox Tribe began operation of Meskwaki Bingo and Casino on 31 December. The Iowa Lottery also launched a new PowerBall game.

1994 – Lawmakers in the state expanded on the laws to authorize land-based casino operations. Three land-based casinos opened in Iowa in 1994.

2009 – Iowa Lottery launched the game Mega Millions.

2012 – Lawmakers introduced a bill to authorize online poker. The bill, however, was unsuccessful as it missed the deadline for introduction.

2013 – A second bill was introduced to allow online poker but did not make it to the committee stage.

2018 – On 14 May, the Court reached a decision. In a 7-2 vote, it was agreed that one of the clauses in PASPA violated the Tenth Amendment, as it commandeered power from states to regulate their own gambling industries. This paved the way for all US states to decide whether or not to legalize sports betting. In the weeks after the repeal of PASPA a number of US sportsbooks launched across the country.

2019 – A total of seven sports betting study bills were introduced in time for the 2019 legislative  session.

On 6 May, Governor Reynolds signed SF 617 into law, legalizing land-based and online sports betting. 94 days after the legislation was signed into law, Iowa launched sports betting on 15 August with the opening of eight land-based sportsbooks and William Hill’s online sportsbook.

For the latest updates on sports betting in Iowa, Compare.bet has got you covered.