Iowa
Is Betting Legal in Iowa?
Legal gambling has been around in Iowa for decades, with casino gambling, sports betting, horse race betting, and lottery games all available in the state in 2024.
There is no shortage of options for in-person gambling at casinos and sportsbooks, and Iowa Sports Betting is also legal in the state. Iowa has one live horse racing track in the state, and online casino gambling has yet to become legal.
But even with those drawbacks, the state has plenty of options to choose from to satisfy your desire for gambling.
What Types of Legal Gambling Are Available in Iowa?
Casinos
Casino gambling at casinos is legal in Iowa, with 19 different venues available in the state. Many of these also feature sportsbooks among their offerings, giving Iowa residents and visitors plenty of betting options, including Iowa Sports Betting.
| *Last Updated: 07/10/24 | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ameristar Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs | This resort features over 1,300 slots, over 20 table games, a high-limit room, and an on-site sportsbook. |
| Casino Queen Marquette | Marquette near the Iowa/Wisconsin border | This riverboat casino has over 400 slot and video poker machines and live and electronic table games. |
| Catfish Bend Casino | FunCity Resort in Burlington | This casino offers a full gaming experience, with table games and more than 643 interactive slot machines, with a Fanatics Sportsbook. |
| Diamond Jo Casino | Downtown Dubuque | This casino has over 750 slots, 20 table games, food and drink options, a FanDuel sportsbook, and a bowling center all on-site. |
| Diamond Jo Casino & Hotel | Northwood | This casino features nearly 800 slot machines, high-action table games, and an on-site FanDuel sportsbook among its offerings. |
| Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort | Larchwood | This resort features a multitude of slot machines, over 30 tables and live poker games, a private poker room, and a Betfred sportsbook. |
| Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City | Sioux City | This 45,000-square-foot casino features table games and more than 640 slot machines and has an on-site sportsbook as well. |
| Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel | Council Bluffs | This casino has over 27,600 square feet of gaming floor, with 13 table games, nearly 700 slots, and a Caesars sportsbook among its attractions. |
| Horseshoe Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs | This nearly 60,000-square-foot casino features over 50 table games, over 1,300 slot machines, and a Caesars sportsbook for customers. |
| Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf | Bettendorf | This casino offers 12 electronic table games, 15 live table games, over 850 slot machines, and a Caesars sportsbook. |
| Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo | Waterloo | This casino has over 37,500 square feet of gaming, including over 18 tables 800 slot machines, and a Caesars sportsbook on-site. |
| Lakeside Hotel Casino | Osceola | This casino resort features slot machines, video poker, Keon machines, table games, and a live music venue. |
| Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel | Altoona | This racino has more than 85,000 square feet of gaming floor, with a wide variety of slots, table games, and poker tables, as well as a Caesars sportsbook and the only live racing track in the state. |
| Q Casino and Resort | Dubuque | This resort casino offers a variety of slots and table games plus a Q sportsbook location. |
| Rhythm City Casino Resort | Davenport | This casino has 32,000 square feet of slot machines and table games, with live music and a Betfred sportsbook. |
| Riverside Casino & Golf Resort | Riverside | This resort features a casino with the latest slot offerings, over 30 table and live poker games, a private poker room, and an on-site Betfred sportsbook. |
| Wild Rose Casino & Resort Clinton | Clinton | This casino has over 500 slot machines, plenty of table games, and an off-track betting area for horse racing, as well as a DraftKings sportsbook. |
| Wild Rose Casino & Resort Emmetsburg | Emmetsburg | This resort features over 500 slot machines, various table games, a live music venue, and an on-site DraftKings sportsbook. |
| Wild Rose Casino & Resort Jefferson | Jefferson | This casino features table games, over 500 slots, live music, and a DraftKings sportsbook among its offerings. |
Is Online Gambling Legal in Iowa?
Betting on sports online is prevalent and legal in Iowa, but the state does not allow for online gambling on casino games or the lottery in the state.
There are a lot of in-person casinos available for people in the state who prefer those games, and that’s likely what they’ll need to use for the immediate future, as there doesn’t seem to be a desire to change the online laws anytime soon. Iowa Sports Betting online is a popular choice for many residents.
What Are the Sports Betting Options in Iowa?
There are plenty of options for online sports betting in Iowa, with some national sportsbooks available and a few that are only legal in a few states. Iowa bettors can bet on collegiate competitions involving in-state schools, which is something other states prohibit. The biggest in-state restriction on bettors is that individual prop bets on collegiate athletic events are banned, which may have limited the state when basketball star Caitlin Clark was playing at the University of Iowa.
Iowa Online Sportsbooks:
| Sportsbook | Description |
|---|---|
| Bally Bet | Bally Bet relaunched in August 2023, with Iowa being one of seven states where the sportsbook is available. |
| Bet365 Sportsbook | Iowa is one of nine states in which bet365 is legal, with the sportsbook originally being operated in Europe before coming to the United States. |
| Betfred | Available in six states, Betfred does a nice job giving customers a solid offering of bets and sports. |
| BetMGM Sportsbook | One of the more prominent sportsbooks nationally, BetMGM is available in 19 states, including Iowa, and has a nice variety of offerings for its customers. |
| BetRivers Sportsbook | BetRivers is a growing sportsbook with plenty of promotions and bonuses and is known for its live betting, which includes live streaming of games in some cases. |
| Betway Sportsbook | A lesser-known sportsbook, Betway is available in nine states, including Iowa, where it has three brick-and-mortar locations, and brings decades of international experience. |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Caesars brings name recognition to its offering, and it is available in 21 states. There are plenty of promotions and bonuses available on an easy-to-use app. |
| Circa Sportsbook | Founded in 2019, Circa Sportsbook is mainly located in Nevada, where it has multiple locations, but has expanded into four other states, including Iowa, in recent years. |
| Clutch Bet | A smaller sportsbook, Clutch Bet has just three states it’s available in, but it has a solid offering with various promotions and all the sports and bets a customer would want. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | DraftKings remains one of the nation’s biggest and most well-known sportsbooks, giving bettors plenty of odds boosts and game promotions across all major sports and betting options. |
| ESPN BET | Having rebranded from Barstool Sportsbook, ESPN BET is one of the more popular sportsbooks, available in 17 states, including Iowa, and offering many special promotions and offers associated with ESPN personalities. |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | Another rebranded sportsbook (from PointsBet), Fanatics Sportsbook has an easy-to-use app that provides plenty of betting options plus odds boosts for its customers. |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | Another of the bigger sportsbooks in the US, FanDuel is known for offering a user-friendly app for both beginning and experienced customers looking for a wide range of bets and odds in almost all sports. |
| Hard Rock Bet | A sportsbook with a lot of name recognition, Hard Rock Bet is available in six states but has a very easy-to-use app, with many promotions and live betting available. |
| Q Sportsbook | Available only in Iowa, Q Sportsbook is associated with Q casino sites in the state but also offers a mobile app and a website to bet anywhere in the state. |
| SuperBook Sportsbook | While not as well-known as other sportsbooks, SuperBook offers something other sportsbooks don’t: a SuperContest that allows players a chance to win by competing against other bettors, allowing for some bigger payouts. |
| Tipico Sportsbook | Only available in four states including Iowa, Tipico has international experience and offers its customers a chance to cash out on their bets before contests are finished for smaller payouts. |
Below is a list of the main Iowa Retail Sportsbooks for your benefit:
Iowa Retail Sportsbooks:
| Sportsbook | Description |
|---|---|
| Caesars Sportsbook at Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf | Located at Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf in Bettendorf, this sportsbook has a full bar with recliner seating so customers can watch 10 big-screen TVs of action. |
| Betfred Sportsbook at Rhythm City Casino Resort | Located at Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, this sportsbook has 24/7 self-service betting kiosks and betting windows, with 29 TV screens, including 15 85-inch TVs and a 360-degree projection TV. |
| Caesars Sportsbook at Prairie Meadows | Located at Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel in Altoona, this sportsbook has betting on sports and the adjacent race track, giving bettors a wide variety of options. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook at Wild Rose Casino and Resort | Located at Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Clinton, this sportsbook has self-serve betting kiosks on the casino floor and betting windows open inside the sportsbook. |
| The Sportsbook at Ameristar Council Bluffs | Located at Ameristar Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, this sportsbook features comfortable seating, six sports wagering terminals, 10 sports betting kiosks, and 50 high-definition TVs to watch all the action. |
| Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Council Bluffs | Located at Harrah’s Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, this sportsbook features plenty of comfortable seating and viewing options to keep up with the bets placed at the windows or betting kiosks available. |
| Caesars Sportsbook at Horseshoe Council Bluffs | Located at Horseshoe Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, this sportsbook offers a full-service bar, 32 TVs, and dozens of self-betting kiosks and betting windows to its customers. |
| Hard Rock Hotel and Casino | Located at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Sioux City, this sportsbook does not have staffed windows but has six sports betting kiosks available for customers’ needs. |
| Betfred Sportsbook at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort | Located at the Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood, this 3,500-square-foot sportsbook features a variety of LED video walls and high-definition TVs, plush chairs and recliners, a full food and drink menu, VIP booths, betting windows and self-service betting kiosks available 24 hours a day. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook at Wild Rose Casino & Resort (Emmetsburg) | Located at the Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Emmetsburg, this sportsbook gives customers plenty of betting options at both betting windows and 24/7 betting kiosks on the casino floor. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook at Wild Rose Casino & Resort (Jefferson) | Located at the Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Jefferson, this sportsbook was undergoing renovation starting in June 2024, though the venue’s sports betting kiosks remained open. |
| FanDuel Sportsbook at Diamond Jo Casino | Located at the Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque, this sportsbook offers 2,150 square feet of sports betting, with four betting windows, 34 TV screens, three sports tickers, and nine self-serve betting terminals. |
| FanDuel Sportsbook at Diamond Jo Casino & Hotel | Located at the Diamond Jo Casino & Hotel in Northwood, this sportsbook has a variety of comfortable seating to watch the action and keep up with your wagers made at the betting windows and kiosks. |
| Q Sportsbook at Q Casino and Resort | Located at Q Casino and Resort in Dubuque, this sportsbook offers a full food and drink menu and a 165-foot video wall to keep up on all the sports action. |
| Caesars Sportsbook at Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo | Located at the Isle Casino Hotel in Waterloo, this sportsbook features comfortable lounge chairs, high-top tables, 10 giant TV screens, and table games that you can play while watching sports. |
Is the Lottery Legal in Iowa?
The Iowa Lottery began in 1985 and has helped raise billions of dollars for state programs that benefit all Iowans. The state’s lottery proceeds have been used to help veterans, economic development, law enforcement, education, and agriculture.
The state offers scratch games, pull-tab games, and draw games for state residents, as well as being a part of multi-state games like Mega Millions, Lotto America, and PowerBall for bigger prizes. Unlike some states, Iowa does not have a way for residents to buy tickets online.
Can You Bet on Horse Racing in Iowa?
Betting on horse racing is legal in Iowa from a mobile app and at the race track in Prairie Meadows.
Race Tracks in Iowa:
- Prairie Meadows (Altoona, IA)
Is Charitable Gambling Allowed in Iowa?
Iowa allows charitable organizations to offer games of skill or chance, but there is a licensing procedure they must go through first. The Social and Charitable Gambling Unit administers Iowa Code Chapter 99B, which regulates games of skill or chance, raffles, bingo, social gambling, and amusement devices.
Qualified organizations may obtain a social or charitable gambling license to conduct fund-raising activities benefiting educational, civic, public, charitable, patriotic, or religious purposes. Even with a license, organizations have restrictions on how often or how big their gambling activity can be held.
What Are the Age Requirements for Gambling in Iowa?
For casino, horse race, or sports gambling in Iowa, the legal age is currently 21. Participating in the state’s lottery and charitable gambling can be done by anyone aged 18 or older.
Who Regulates Gambling in Iowa?
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) was established in 1983 after the Iowa legislature passed the Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act, allowing organizations to obtain licenses for wagering on horse and dog racing. It has continued to add to its responsibilities, adding casino and sports gambling under its authority.
How Are Gambling Winnings Taxed in Iowa?
Iowa has a tax rate of 6.7% for an interactive sports wagering operator for doing business in the state.
Iowa Regulatory Bodies:
- Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission: https://irgc.iowa.gov
- Iowa Department of Revenue: https://tax.iowa.gov
- Iowa Legislature: https://www.legis.iowa.gov
What Responsible Gambling Resources Are Available in Iowa?
Iowa has lots of help available for people having trouble with gambling. The Office of Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Services provides funding for the Substance Use and Problem Gambling Services Integrated Provider Network grant to ensure Iowans have accessible problem gambling prevention and treatment services. Through the grant, treatment for a gambling disorder is available for individuals experiencing negative impacts from gambling.
Services include outpatient counseling, financial counseling, and recovery support services. There is also a hotline (1-800-BETS-OFF) and a website – yourlifeiowa.org/gambling – that provide information about these services. The Iowa Lottery and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) offer voluntary self-exclusion programs that can limit or completely ban someone from gambling activities or visiting a sportsbook or casino. The IRGC program is for people to voluntarily exclude themselves from wagering with licensed operators, which includes casinos, racetracks, sports wagering, and fantasy sports operators, and also applies to any operators approved in the future.
Iowa Problem Gambling Program:
Call 1-800-BETS OFF (800-238-7633), text 855-895-8398, or visit https://yourlifeiowa.org/gambling.
What Does the Future of Gambling Look Like in Iowa?
Sports betting is thriving in the state, as is gambling in the many casinos available to people in the state. Iowa’s citizens have received great benefits from legalized gambling in the state, and that should continue.
Even though online casino gambling isn’t legal in the state, that doesn’t seem to be slowing things down for every other area of gambling that is available, especially Iowa Sports Betting.
