Pari-Mutuel Betting 1983
Charity Games 1973
Lotteries 1985
Commerical Casino 1989
Tribal Casinos 1992
Sports Betting/Fantasy Sports 2019
All Forms of Gambling 21+
Tribal Casinos 4
Land-based Casinos 17
Riverboat Casinos 1
Racinos 2
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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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!
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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 |
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 State has legalized charity gaming, pari-mutuels, lotteries, sports betting, fantasy sports betting, tribal casinos, commercial casinos, and riverboat casinos.
Yes, state and multistate tickets can be purchased at roughly 2,400 authorized retailers by the Iowa Lottery.
Fantasy sports betting is legal on approved leagues and events.
Yes, Iowa permits sports betting at commercial casinos and online & mobile.
Yes, Iowa has state and tribal casinos offering Vegas-style casino games.
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.
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.