For the first week of the NFL season, Iowa sports betting will be available at 14 of 19 casinos, with two mobile apps serving the state.
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) administrator Brian Ohorilko told Legal Sports Report that stakeholders are excited about the influx of people attending casinos to visit sportsbooks over the course of the NFL and college football seasons.
“Operators are being very open that sports betting isn’t anticipated to generate that much revenue, but I do think most of the operators are excited about the possibility of bringing in new people. There’s been a decline in attendance at casinos year over year. This is really an opportunity to reach a different clientele and have those folks exposed to the facilities, including their restaurants and hotels.”
Where to find Iowa sports betting on the NFL
The following casinos offer Iowa sports betting ahead of the first week of the NFL season:
- Prairie Meadows in Altoona
- Lakeside in Osceola
- Isle Waterloo
- Isle Bettendorf
- Rhythm City in Davenport
- Riverside
- Ameristar Council Bluffs
- Harrah’s Council Bluffs
- Horseshoe Council Bluffs
- Catfish Bend in Burlington
- Grand Falls in Larchwood
- Q Casino in Dubuque
- Diamond Jo in Dubuque
- Diamond Jo in Northwood
Apps available for mobile Iowa sports betting
Iowans can’t bet the farm with regulated sports betting, but they can bet from the farm.
They can place bets from their living rooms this weekend, but first they must trek to a casino to establish their accounts. The Iowa law requires patrons to register for mobile Iowa sports betting accounts in-person through 2020.
There are two mobile apps live in Iowa: Elite Sportsbook and William Hill Sportsbook.
William Hill sign-ups are open at Lakeside, Prairie Meadows, Isle Bettendorf and Isle Waterloo casinos. Elite account validations are available at Grand Falls, Riverside and Rhythm City casinos.
Iowa gaming commission focus shifts to compliance
With Iowa sports betting operational in much of the state by the start of NFL season, the IRGC is transitioning to post-launch protocols.
“The focus goes from licensing and implementation to compliance,” Ohorilko said. “There are still a number of properties looking to go live, so there will be some overlap.”
Ohorilko described some of the key questions the IRGC will be asking to assure compliance from a regulatory standpoint:
- Is revenue being reported accurately?
- Are facilities offering house rules that players are following?
- Are there any customer complaints and how are those being handled?
- Are all certifications remaining updated?
- Is any new technology being implemented, and are they getting certification?
- Are operators only putting bets on the board that are authorized?
- Are facilities sharing data dealing with irregular betting patterns and suspicious activity?
Legal DFS still in limbo
Ohorilko indicated that the IRGC is still working with staff from DraftKings and FanDuel to bring them in compliance with Iowa statutes and regulations.
He added that the IRGC is close to authorizing the daily fantasy sports sites, but it is unlikely they will be given the green light this weekend.
