Best Iowa Casinos & Gambling Laws Guide

Gambling in Iowa has a long history, but the state’s gambling status is not on the same level as Las Vegas. However, you will find that in the state of Iowa, there is a variety of gambling activities available. The state can be considered one of the states that pioneered gambling. Even though they may have strict laws that govern their gambling, the country still offers some of the best gambling experiences.

We have put together this Iowa gambling guide to help you get acquainted with gambling in Iowa. Since there are many aspects to the casinos in Iowa, we will touch on some of them. We share with you the Iowa gambling laws, the legal gambling age, the types of casinos, and Iowa sports gambling. By the end of the guide, you will know about gambling casinos in Iowa and exciting facts to get you started with your gambling in Iowa.

Gambling Laws in Iowa

When the law allowing individual states to decide on their gambling in 1991, it opened an opportunity. Iowa was able to introduce gambling options that would cater to the residents more. However, that was not the beginning of gambling in Iowa. See the timeline for gambling laws in Iowa below:

• Betting on horse racing and greyhounds is legal. In 1989, the law for simulcast gambling was extended, which included referendums for riverboat gambling. For horse racing, gambling, and off-track betting, the government has to issue a state of Iowa gambling license for operation.
• The government introduced the Iowa lottery in 1985, and later, gamblers could choose to bet on Mega Millions (2009) and Powerball (1992).
• Two riverboat casinos were launched in 1991, and three years later, in 1994, two more were launched. Casinos in Iowa are meant to be on riverboats, racetracks, and tribal land.
• The gambling laws in Iowa forbid anyone from participating in a game for money or anything of value. However, these exclude horse racing, bingo, licensed casinos, and social gambling.
• Fantasy sports gambling is not included and is considered illegal in Iowa. Social gambling licenses are valid for up to two years. The gambling age in Iowa for all various kinds of gambling is 21.

Types of Gambling Casinos in Iowa

There are three different types of casinos in Iowa. See the various examples below.

• Riverboat Casinos—These kinds of casinos were legalized in 1991, allowing passengers a limit of $5 per bet. These restrictions were changed in 1994, and the state did not strictly require the casinos to be on a boat. Casinos on moored barges floating on the water were legalized. Currently, there are about 16 riverboat gambling casinos in Iowa.
• Pari-Mutuel Casinos (Racetrack) – As gambling became legal, racetracks were allowed to host slot machines and video poker. However, only three of the racetracks offered this gambling. In 2004, a provision was made to add table games at the three racetracks.
• Indian/Tribal Casinos—These casinos are located on tribal land and are run by the Native Americans who govern the lands. They are no different from traditional casinos, offering the same casino games, such as slots, table games, and live poker. There are three Indian casinos in Iowa.

Online Gambling Iowa

There are no specific laws that govern online gambling in Iowa. However, other laws conclude that online casinos are included. As we mentioned in the gambling laws in Iowa section above, the law says that “participating in a game for any sum of money or other property of value or making any bet…” is the law’s explanation of gambling. However, the definition doesn’t state whether online gambling is considered part of this or not.

Iowa Sports Betting

Sports betting was recently legalized in Iowa. It was legalized in May 2019 and only went live in August 2019. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will oversee the regulation of sports betting in Iowa.

Sports betting is being offered at land-based casinos and on mobile devices. However, mobile gamblers must register at the local casino first. Then, they can download the sports betting app on their mobile and place wagers from anywhere in Iowa. This rule will continue until January 2021.

Fantasy Sports Gambling in Iowa

At the moment, fantasy sports betting is not legal in Iowa. However, lawmakers are working on introducing a law that will regulate fantasy sports gambling. The law will allow daily fantasy sports betting websites, but private bookmaking will be banned. The bill will have the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission regulate the activity and establish legislature, fees, and taxes.

Iowa Lottery

Legal lottery gambling was introduced in 1985, which included scratch cards. There are other kinds of lottery games available for gamblers. Those include the following:

• Pick 3
• Pick 4
• Hot Lotto (multi-state)
• Lotto America (multi-state)
• Lucky For Life (multi-state)
• Mega Millions (multi-state)
• Powerball (multi-state)

List of Gambling Casino in Iowa