Iowa

Iowa Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

Online sports betting was made legal in Iowa back in 2019 and was the 11th state to make the change, and has been thriving in the state since. There are now a large number of different sportsbooks to choose from as Iowa continues to reinforce its sports betting market.

Legislation has not changed for online casinos, however, and still remain unavailable in the state. There is no recent news around whether or not change will come, but with the success of sports betting in the state it may be a possibility in the future.

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BEST NEW CASINOS IN IOWA

Although Iowa has a decent selection of land-based commercial casinos, tribal casinos, and a riverboat casino, these lack many of the advantages of online casinos. For as long as it does not permit online gambling, people will seek alternatives for sites that offer both online sports betting and online casino games such as online poker.

The best new casinos in Iowa, including the ones below, offer a greater selection of virtual or live dealer roulette, blackjack, Mississippi Stud, 3 Card Poker, slot machines, and more online. All games that use a random number generator are tested and certified as fair, so there is no need to worry.

Aside from a collection of entertaining games, players from Iowa can also benefit from the same spectacular online casino bonuses as fellow Americans. These also offer a more satisfying alternative to sweepstakes casino sites.

Best of all, these are licensed online casinos that offer fair bonus wagering T&Cs, including fair wagering requirements. Most real money online casinos will also offer a poker room for online poker.

Make USD & BTC deposits and withdrawals quick and easy using the most common instant payment methods such as Visa, Amex, Mastercard, and Discover.

Each online casino listed below is accompanied by our in-house review, where we go into a lot more detail, so there are never any surprises. Choose the online casino that best matches what you’re looking for, and you can’t go wrong!

BEST BONUSES IN IOWA CASINOS

The best bonuses in Iowa online casinos can start when a player registers a new player account at one of the US dollar/Bitcoin online casinos below. A signup no deposit bonus welcomes new players with some free spins or bonus money. It’s an excellent opportunity to play for free, and you may even be able to keep some of your winnings.

When you’re ready to make your first US dollar or Bitcoin deposit, you can opt-in to receive a match deposit bonus and free spins. These are also terrific ways of making the fun last even longer. Browse through our list of Iowa casinos with the best bonuses and choose your favorites.

IOWA GAMBLING OVERVIEW

From 1846 until 1972, Article III of the Iowa Constitution banned lotteries, interpreted to mean all games of chance. This prohibition was repealed in 1972 in a general election paving the way for the introduction of legal gambling forms. The Iowa Lottery is regulated by the state, while charity games are regulated by the Social and Charitable Gambling Unit.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) controls fantasy sports contests, sports wagering, gambling boats, commercial Iowa casinos & racetracks, and pari-mutuel wagering at racetracks.

Online gambling is limited to online sports betting, horse racing, and fantasy sports. Online casinos and online poker room options remain prohibited.

LOTTERIES

Since its creation in 1985, the Iowa Lottery has offered several products, including draw tickets, scratch games, InstaPlay, and pull-tab games. It has raised billions of dollars that have gone towards supporting various groups and projects. Their products can be found at close to 2,400 authorized retailers. The Iowa Lottery introduced the multistate Mega Millions in November 2009.

SPORTS BETTING

Sports betting has been available at Commercial casinos and online since August 2019. Players from Iowa can make mobile sports betting wagers at several online and mobile providers, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and William Hill. Until January 1, 2021, a requirement to register in person at a land-based casino acted as a drag on this booming form of gambling. The ability to register online is expected to act as a tailwind.

FANTASY SPORTS

Fantasy sports betting in Iowa is permitted on matches at the professional level from an approved list of leagues and events. DraftKings was the first operator to offer daily fantasy sports followed by others, including FanDuel.

CHARITY GAMES

A charitable gambling license is required in Iowa to conduct charitable gaming activities. The type of permit needed will depend on the period over which the gambling will be conducted. Authorized forms of charity games include raffles, bingo, and games of skill & chance. A minimum of 75% of the net receipts must be distributed to religious, charitable, civic, public, patriotic, or educational organizations.

PARI-MUTUEL RACING

Live racing is available at the Iowa Greyhound Park and Prairie Meadows tracks. These two tracks and Horseshoe also receive simulcast horse and dog races. Advanced deposit wagering (ADW) is permitted on pari-mutuel races. The future of dog racing in Iowa remains unclear, with other states moving to ban it outright.

Casinos in Iowa

Iowa has offered casino-style gaming at tribal casinos since 1992 after signing compacts with three native tribes.

Players in Iowa will find commercial casinos, including 1 riverboat, that offer sportsbook where they can bet on professional and collegiate sporting events. All casinos provide 1,000+ slot machines, video poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Mississippi Stud, Criss Cross Poker, Three-card Poker, blackjack, craps, and roulette.

Commercial Casinos	Address	Website
Ameristar II (Riverboat)	Council Bluffs, IA 51501	ameristarcouncilbluffs.com
Casino Queen Marquette	100 Anti-Monopoly Street – Marquette, IA 52158	casinoqueenmarquette.com/play
Catfish Bend Casino	3001 Winegard Dr. – Burlington, IA 52601	thepzazz.com/catfish-bend-casino
Diamond Jo Casino	301 Bell Street – Dubuque, IA 52001	diamondjodubuque.com/
Diamond Jo Worth	777 Diamond Jo Lane – Northwood, IA 50459	diamondjoworth.com
Grand Falls Casino Resort	1415 Grand Falls Blvd. – Larchwood, IA 51241	grandfallscasinoresort.com/index.html
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino	111 3rd St. – Sioux City, IA 51101	hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com
Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel	1 Harrah’s Boulevard – Council Bluffs, IA 51501	caesars.com/harrahs-council-bluffs/casino
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs	2701 23rd Avenue – Council Bluffs, IA 51501-6968	caesars.com/horseshoe-council-bluffs/casino
Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo	777 Isle of Capri Blvd -Waterloo, IA 50701	islewaterloo.com/gaming
Isle of Capri – Bettendorf	1800 Isle Parkway – Bettendorf, IA 52722	islebettendorf.com/gaming
Lakeside Hotel Casino	777 Casino Drive – Osceola, IA 50213	lakesidehotelcasino.com
Q Casino	1855 Greyhound Park Rd -Dubuque, IA 52001	qcasinoandhotel.com/casino
Rhythm City Casino	7077 Elmore Avenue -Davenport, IA 52807	rhythmcitycasino.com/index.html
Riverside Casino and Golf Resort LLC	3184 Highway 22 – Riverside, IA 52327	riversidecasinoandresort.com/casino.html
Wild Rose Casino & Resorts – Clinton	777 Wild Rose Dr. – Clinton, IA 52732	wildroseresorts.com
Wild Rose Casino & Resorts – Emmetsburg	777 Main Str. – Emmetsburg, IA 50536	wildroseresorts.com
Wild Rose Casino & Resorts – Jefferson	777 Wild Rose Drive -Jefferson, IA 50129	wildroseresorts.com

 

Racinos	Address	Website
Iowa Greyhound Park	1899 Greyhound Park Road – Dubuque, IA 52001	igaracing.com
Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino	1 Prairie Meadows Drive – Altoona, IA 50009	prairiemeadows.com/casino

 

Tribal Casinos	Address	Website
Blackbird Bend Casino	17214 210th St – Onawa IA, 51040	blackbirdbend.com/casino
Meskwaki Casino	1504 305th Street – Tama, Iowa 52339	meskwaki.com/casino-games
Prairie Flower Casino	1031 Ave H – Carter Lake, IA 51510	prairieflowercasino.com/casino
WinnaVegas Casino Resort	1500 330th Street – Sloan, Iowa 51055	winnavegas.com

Iowa Casinos Map

 

 

IOWA GAMBLING HISTORY

After the Iowa Constitution was repealed in 1972, bingo and raffles were the first authorized the following year.

The Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act was created by the Iowa Legislature in 1983, allowing horse and dog racing. At the same time, the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission was born. In 1989, legislation was enacted that would allow pari-mutuel wagering on simulcast races. That same year, legislation was passed allowing excursion gambling boats in counties subject to approval through a local referendum.

The Iowa Legislature created the Iowa Lottery in April 1985 by signing it into law. In 1992 the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals negotiated three tribal gaming compacts with the Winnebago Tribe, Omaha Tribe, and the Sac and Fox Tribe.

Further legislation was enacted in March 1994, raising the gambling minimum wagering age to 21 from 18 and allowing racetracks (existing as of January 1, 1994) to provide gambling games (subject to a local referendum). Dockside gambling was now permitted, and the loss limit of $200 per day was removed, as was the maximum $5 per hand limit.

In 2004, video machines and table games were authorized at racetrack enclosures after legislation was enacted. All was relatively silent until sports betting and fantasy sports contests regulated by the Racing and Gaming Commission – including online betting – were legalized in 2019.

New sports bettors needed to physically register at one of the land-based casinos until January 1, 2021, but could not play online casino games. Players can now download an app and start playing immediately.

IOWA GAMBLING FAQ

WHAT TYPES OF GAMBLING ARE LEGAL IN IOWA?

Iowa State has legalized charity gaming, pari-mutuels, lotteries, sports betting, fantasy sports betting, tribal casinos, commercial casinos, and riverboat casinos.

DOES IOWA HAVE A STATE LOTTERY?

Yes, state and multistate tickets can be purchased at roughly 2,400 authorized retailers by the Iowa Lottery.

IS FANTASY SPORTS BETTING LEGAL IN IOWA?

Fantasy sports betting is legal on approved leagues and events.

IS SPORTS BETTING LEGAL IN IOWA?

Yes, Iowa permits sports betting at commercial casinos and online & mobile.

DOES IOWA HAVE COMMERCIAL CASINOS OR TRIBAL CASINOS?

Yes, Iowa has state and tribal casinos offering Vegas-style casino games.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL GAMBLING AGE IN IOWA?

According to Iowa gambling laws, players must be 21 and over to participate. This applies to Iowa online gambling sites and riverside casino games alike.

CONCLUSION

Iowa may have made some inroads to liberalizing online gambling within its borders, but there remains plenty left to do, both in terms of online sports betting and other forms of online gambling.

Unfortunately, online gambling in Iowa casinos has yet to be authorized and regulated in Iowa. We invite you to visit our IA online gambling page every so often as we update it from time to time. When there is a change in Iowa gambling laws, you’ll find out from us.

Despite being illegal, some Iowans have turned to offshore online casinos to play online slot machines, table games, live dealer games, and sportsbooks. Whether you are looking for the best online casinos or best online casino site bonuses, we invite you to view our Iowa online recommendations above.