Iowa Sports Betting
Iowa sports betting is legal and widely available. Most of the state’s 19 casinos operate retail sportsbooks, and bettors have more than 15 online sports betting apps to choose from.
Bettors 21 or older can visit Iowa online sportsbooks to place wagers from anywhere within state lines.
Read on to learn more about Iowa sports betting apps, including info on how to claim a variety of welcome bonuses collectively worth over $10,000.
Sports betting isn’t the only form of legal online gambling in Iowa. The state also regulates online horse racing betting and daily fantasy sports.
In addition, Iowa law requires operators to hold appropriate licenses and conform to various consumer protection regulations for all three forms of online betting.
Legal Iowa Betting Sites
Bet $5 Get $100Bet365 Bonus Code: BETUSAGAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ, CO, IL, IN, KY, LA, NC, NJ, OH, PA, VA), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA) or 1-800-889-9789 (TN). 21+ only (18+ in KY). Must be present in AZ/CO/IA/IL/IN/KY/LA (select parishes)/NC/NJ/OH/PA/TN/VA. New Customer Offer Bet $5 and Get $100 in Bonus Bets at bet365. *Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only, time restrictions and T&Cs apply.
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(CO/DC/IL/KS/KY/LA/MD/OH/MI/NC/NJ/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV/WY), (800)-327-5050 or http://gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), (888) 789-7777 or http://ccpg.org (CT), or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), or www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), or morethanagame.nc.gov (NC), or 1800gambler.net (WV). $1,000 No Sweat Bets offer for customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VT, VA, WV, or WY only. Must apply this promotion in your bet slip and place a $1+ cash wager with odds of -500 or longer each day for 10 straight days. Your 10 days begin the day you establish your account. Wager must settle as a loss to qualify for Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets will equal the amount of the losing wager(s) (up to $100 in Bonus Bets per day) and expire 7 days from issuance. This offer is not available in IL, NY, & NC. Terms apply- see Fanatics Sportsbook app.
21+ and present in IA. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-BETS-OFF.
Iowa Sports Betting Regulations
Iowa legalized sports betting in 2019 with the passage of SF 617. Under state law, each Iowa casino that holds a sports betting license may operate a retail sportsbook on casino property and up to two individual online sports betting platforms, also known as “skins.”
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) is responsible for overseeing sports betting. Those duties include issuing licenses and ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations.
Here’s what readers need to know about Iowa sports betting rules:
- Customers must be 21 or older to bet on sports in Iowa
- Online betting is permitted
- Remote registration is permitted
- Wagering on pro and college sports is permitted
Iowa Sports Betting Apps
Online sports betting in Iowa is legal and regulated. Customers must be 21 or older and do not need to be residents to participate.
In-person registration is not necessary before placing wagers online. Bettors may register an online sports betting account, deposit, and withdraw from anywhere. However, Iowa sports bettors may only place real-money wagers when physically located within state lines.
Each casino may launch up to two separate online sportsbooks in partnership with licensed third-party providers such as FanDuel and DraftKings. Each platform may also include a mobile betting app.
Below is a list of all available sports betting apps in Iowa:
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Bet365 Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- Sporttrade
- ESPN Bet
- BetFred
- Q Sportsbook
- Bally Bet
- Circa Sports
Iowa Sports Betting Bonuses
Most online sportsbooks in Iowa offer new customer bonuses. Competition is fierce in a state with over a dozen online sports betting sites, and betting bonuses are common.
Generally speaking, there are three types of bonus offers at Iowa sportsbooks:
- Bonus bets: Bettors initiate a deposit and place a real-money wager with their own money. If the bet falls short, they receive a refund, up to a certain amount, in bonus bets or bet credits. Winning bettors do not receive any benefit from this promotional type.
- First deposit match: The sportsbook matches a bettor’s first deposit with an equal bonus amount. The bonus is subject to a wagering requirement because it converts to cash. The lower the wagering requirement, the better the bonus.
- First bet wager match: Bettors place their first wager, and are awarded a matched bet of equal value. The matched bet is distributed regardless of whether the real-money wager wins or loses.
Iowa law does not directly regulate sports betting bonuses, but state licensing requirements ensure only operators in good standing may offer sports betting.
As a result, bettors can expect fair treatment from licensed sportsbooks regarding promotions, security, and payments.
Iowa Sports Betting Locations
Iowa sports betting began in August 2019 with the launch of seven sportsbooks at casinos across the state on a single day.
All but one of Iowa’s 19 commercial casinos operate retail sportsbooks. Casino Queen Marquette remains the only casino without a sportsbook today, but it does hold an Iowa sports betting license.
Complete list of Iowa sportsbook locations:
- The Sportsbook at Ameristar Council Bluffs
- Fanatics Sportsbook at Catfish Bend Casino
- FanDuel Sportsbook at Diamond Jo Dubuque
- FanDuel Sportsbook at Diamond Jo Worth
- Betfred Sports at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort
- Hard Rock Sportsbook at Hard Rock Casino Sioux City
- Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Council Bluffs
- Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Council Bluffs
- Caesars Sportsbook at Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo
- Caesars Sportsbook at Isle Casino Bettendorf
- Caesars Sportsbook at Prairie Meadows
- DRF Sportsbook at Lakeside Hotel Casino
- Q Sportsbook at Q Casino
- BetFred Sportsbook at Rhythm City Casino
- BetFred Sportsbook at Riverside Casino
- DraftKings Sportsbook at Wild Rose Clinton, Emmetsburg, and Jefferson
Iowa Sports Betting Law
IA Code § 99F lays the foundation for legal sports betting in Iowa, while additional regulations crafted by the IRGC fill in the details to establish a well-regulated industry.
Key Iowa Sports Betting Regulations
- Each casino may operate up to two independently branded Iowa sports betting sites and online sportsbook apps
- Casinos pay a $45,000 sports betting licensing fee and $10,000 per year after that
- Iowa sports betting operators to pay 6.75% tax
- Wagers allowed on pro and college sports but not on esports
How Iowa Legalized Sports Betting
In December 2017, the Iowa Gaming Association (IGA) announced plans to begin crafting sports betting legislation once federal prohibition of sports betting was repealed.
The Supreme Court struck down PASPA and cleared the way for lawmakers to act.
After one failed attempt to legalize sports betting in 2018, Iowa lawmakers moved again in 2019 to pass legislation that would bring in-person and online betting to Iowa.
In 2018 House Study Bill 592 was introduced, seeking to legalize and regulate sports betting. If passed, HSB 592 would have legalized wagering on professional and college sports at local casinos, race tracks, and via licensed online sports betting sites.
HSB 592 didn’t make it through the legislative process, but it set the stage for legislation the following year.
In 2019, lawmakers introduced SF 617 to legalize retail sports betting and allow local casinos to apply for online sports betting licenses. The bill sought to allow each casino to operate up to two separate betting sites, accept wagers on pro and college sports, and legalize daily fantasy sports.
The Iowa House and Senate both approved the bill to send it to the desk of Governor Kim Reynolds. Governor Reynolds signed the bill in May 2019, officially legalizing sports betting in Iowa. The first sportsbooks and betting apps went live a few months later.
Iowa Horse Racing Betting
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Horse racing betting is legal in Iowa and regulated by the IRGC. Customers must be 21 or older and physically located within state lines to place wagers via authorized horse racing betting sites (ADWs).
The state does not issue licenses to individual ADWs, but several major operators provide online horse racing betting to Iowa residents. Trackside parimutuel wagering is limited to the state’s single racetrack, Prairie Meadows in Dubuque.
Prairie Meadows Racetrack and several casinos operate off-track betting parlors (OTBs) where customers can place simulcast wagers on races held around the country.
Iowa Daily Fantasy Sports
Iowa prohibited daily fantasy sports for longer than most states, but in 2019 when lawmakers legalized DFS via HF 617.
The Iowa Daily Fantasy Sports market is limited to two operators, but it provides effective regulation designed to keep players safe and DFS contests fair.
Learn more about the best Iowa fantasy sports sites and the legal landscape in BettingUSA’s guide below:
Iowa Online Gambling
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Online casinos and poker sites are illegal in Iowa, although some sweepstakes casinos offer casino-style games that offer a similar experience.
IA Code § 725.7 provides a wide-ranging definition of illegal gambling that covers all forms of online gambling not expressly authorized by the state:
1. Except as permitted in chapters 99B and 99D, a person shall not do any of the following:
a. Participate in a game for any sum of money or other property of any value.
b. Make any bet.
c. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.
d. For a fee, deliver anything of value which has been received outside the enclosure of a racetrack licensed under chapter 99D to be placed as wagers in the pari-mutuel pool or other authorized systems of wagering.
e. Engage in bookmaking, except as permitted in chapters 99E and 99F.
The expansive nature of Iowa’s stance on illegal gambling is partially why even daily fantasy sports sites refused to operate in Iowa until legislation specifically authorizing DFS was passed. Similarly, online gambling in Iowa is clearly prohibited, both for operators and players.
Two attempts to legalize Iowa online poker failed to advance in 2012 and again in 2014. Lawmakers have never seriously considered legalizing online casinos in Iowa.
Iowa Senate File 2275 was proposed in 2012 as a means to license additional land-based casinos and internet poker. If passed, the bill would have included a bad actor clause (sites that previously accepted wagers in the US contrary to the UIGEA would not be eligible for licensing). It would have opened Iowa to sharing player pools with other states.
Senate File 2275 never made it into law and was eventually replaced with Senate Study Bill 1068 in 2013. SSB 1068 had much in common with SF 2275, including a bad actor clause and licensing criteria for operators. SSB 1068 died in committee a month after its introduction.
Over the intervening years, Iowa lawmakers have taken no further action to legalize online gambling. There appears to be no desire among the legislature to authorize Iowa online casinos at this time.
Iowa Electronic Markets Election Betting
Iowa is home to the nation’s first legal election betting exchange, Iowa Electronic Markets (IEM).
IEM is run by the University of Iowa’s Henry B. Tippie College of Business and allows politically minded people from around the world to wager on the outcomes of real-world events, particularly US elections.
The IEM website explains the basic idea in simple terms:
The Iowa Electronic Markets is a futures market run for research and teaching purposes. Traders can buy and sell real-money contracts based on their belief about the outcome of an election or other event. Using this “wisdom of crowds,” the price of a contract at any given time is a forecast of the outcome.
Responsible Gambling in Iowa
Several responsible gambling resources are available in Iowa. Iowa sports betting regulations also require online sportsbooks to provide methods for customers to pause their accounts temporarily or indefinitely and impose wagering and deposit limits.
Additionally, anyone who suspects they have a gambling problem can contact the Iowa Department of Health Gambling Treatment Program or find additional resources through the National Council on Problem Gambling Iowa page.
Iowa Sports Betting and Gambling Self-Exclusion
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission manages a voluntary self-exclusion program covering all casinos, race tracks, sportsbooks, online wagering, and daily fantasy sports. Once enrolled, patrons may not enter the gaming floor or sportsbook of any facility licensed by the IRGC, and they will be unable to use any online sportsbook licensed in Iowa.
Gamblers can enroll by mail or in person for a five-year period or life via four methods:
- Self-Exclude by Mail: Download and complete an enrollment form at home, but do not sign it. Take the form to a notary public in Iowa to sign it in the notary’s presence. Mail the completed form, a copy of the front of your active driver’s license or state ID, and a photo clearly displaying your head and shoulders to the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission.
- Self-Exclude in Person at the IRGC in Des Moines: Call the IRGC at 515-281-7352 to schedule an appointment for assistance completing and submitting a self-exclusion request form. Bring a valid government-issued ID with you to the office.
- Self-Exclude in Person at a Gambling Treatment Provider: Visit any Iowa Gambling Treatment Provider Agency (locations available statewide) to enroll in person. Bring a valid government-issued ID or passport and a photo including only your head and shoulders.
- Self-Exclude at Any Licensed Gambling Facility: Visit any casino or race track licensed in Iowa for assistance with completing and submitting a self-exclusion request.
Important Iowa self-exclusion points:
- Anyone on the self-exclusion list who enters the gaming floor or sportsbook at any licensed facility will be escorted from the property and potentially charged with criminal trespassing
- Individuals who have self-excluded may still visit hotels, convention centers, and other non-gambling areas of licensed casinos and race tracks in Iowa
- Gamblers may only submit self-exclusion requests for themselves; no one may self-exclude from Iowa sports betting and gambling on behalf of a friend, loved one, or family member
- There is no way to end a self-exclusion period early or rescind a lifetime request, and there are no exceptions
- Licensed Iowa online sportsbooks and casinos may operate internal exclusion programs separate from the IRGC’s self-exclusion program; these programs may continue to ban individuals indefinitely, even if they have completed a five-year exclusion period
- Some Iowa betting sites and casinos may extend self-exclusion requests to all of their other properties nationwide
Iowa Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.
Steve Ruddock is the content director for BettingUSA and the Editor-in-Chief of Gaming Law Review.
Steve has covered the legal and legislative developments in the US gambling sector for more than a decade for online and print publications.
Robert Dellafave is an expert sports bettor, professional gambler, and advocate for the fair treatment of sports bettors.