Almost all forms of gambling in Iowa are legal and regulated. The only gambling form that’s yet to get a green light from the lawmakers is online casino gambling. However, Iowa is a strong contender to be the next state where legal internet casinos are going to launch.
In the meantime, Iowans can gamble at 24 licensed venues around the state. These venues include Vegas-style casinos, riverboat casinos, Native American casinos, and racinos. At some of these places, apart from playing classic casino games, visitors can also make sports and horseracing wagers.
Since 2019, online sports betting is legal in Iowa. Bettors can have several sports betting websites at their disposal, including DraftKings, PointsBet, and others. Apart from betting on internet-based platforms, some of these sportsbooks allow the players to make wagers on their mobile devices.
Find Iowa Casinos on The Map
Interesting Facts About Iowa
Situated between two major rivers, Mississippi and Missouri, the state of Iowa is mostly flat, which makes it perfect for agriculture. This is why it’s not surprising that Iowa is the largest corn producer of all the states in the US. Most of the corn, however, is not the sweetcorn we all love to eat. Instead, it’s the variety used for animal feed and ethanol production.
Iowa’s state flag is almost identical to the French national flag, while its state capital Des Moines has a French-sounding name. If you’re wondering why that is the case, it’s because this state used to be owned by France. Back in the 18th century, this area was a part of French Louisiana.
Iowa Gambling Venues
A majority of Midwestern states have a positive attitude toward casino gambling. Iowa does not stand out from the crowd – the casino industry is legal and regulated in this state.
At the moment of writing, there are 24 venues in Iowa where casino gambling is possible. Most of those are located near rivers, while some are actually on the river. We’re talking of riverboat casinos like the Ameristar Casino Council Bluffs on the Mississippi River.
The reason why most Iowa casinos have something to do with rivers is that the state wanted to keep gambling confident to designated areas only. However, the state has softened its attitude toward gambling in the previous decade. As a result, casinos started emerging in central parts of Iowa as well.
At the moment of writing, there are four gambling venues within 100 miles from the Iowa state capital Des Moines. One of those is Prairie Meadows, which is a racino. This is the place where people can play classic casino games, as well as bet on horse races taking place on the Prairie Meadows racetrack.
The racetrack is not used exclusively for horseracing. Sometimes, visitors get to see other, more exotic animals, racing at the facility. For example, the racetrack used to organize ostrich races in the past.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are looking to enjoy intrastate gambling on the internet, then, Iowa is not a state where you can do that. Since this state has not launched its intrastate internet gaming sector, the residents of Iowa are not allowed to offer iGaming products.
At the moment, no players in Iowa have faced persecution for real money online gambling. This is an indication that there is no illegality associated with real money gaming on the internet in Iowa. Although there are no laws that make real money gambling online illegal, lots of people in Iowa still have reservations about real money gambling on the internet, thereby, making the situation very confusing.
Online gambling in Iowa is guided by section 725 of the Iowa code Although Iowa laws do not pay attention to gambling online, officials at Iowa can apply these laws to online games.
As it stands, Iowa officials have not made attempts at prosecuting gamblers. Nonetheless, you must apply a great deal of caution when playing real money games on the internet to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law.
Residents of Iowa can take part in live gambling of various kinds. They include lottery, betting, pari-mutuel, Indian casinos, and brick and mortar commercial casinos. That’s not all. People in Iowa can take part in charitable gambling.
While gambling thrives well in Iowa, it is on a much smaller scale than New Jersey or Nevada. The online gaming sector in Iowa is yet to get regulated. Furthermore, there is no intrastate iGaming market yet.
