Iowa sports betting is here.
The state legalized wagering as of May 2019 and went live with retail and online betting in August 2019. The new portion of the Iowa gaming industry is overseen by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
Read on for more about the present and future of Iowa sports betting.
Sports betting apps in Iowa
Online sports betting launched in Iowa in August 2019. Thirteen of the 19 casinos in the state now offer online wagering through six websites.
Patrons must go to one of the casinos attached to the sports betting app to register for mobile Iowa sports betting accounts in-person through 2020. Once the account is established in person, wagers can be made from anywhere in the state.
| App/Website | Launch date |
|---|---|
| DraftKings Sportsbook | February 2020 |
| PointsBet | November 2019 |
| Hard Rock Sioux City sportsbook | December 2019 |
| Q Casino sportsbook | November 2019 |
| Elite sportsbook | August 2019 |
| William Hill | August 2019 |
DraftKings Sportsbook
After launching a daily fantasy sports app in Iowa in October 2019, DraftKings became the sixth sports betting app in Iowa in February. Through 2020, you must visit one of three Wild Rose Casinos in the state (Clinton, Emmetsburg or Jefferson) to complete registration and verify your identity. Accounts can be funded by methods that include credit/debit cards and PayPal.
PointsBet Sportsbook
An Australian company that broke into the US market in New Jersey early in 2019, PointsBet launched an app in Iowa in November. After downloading the app and creating an account, PointsBet users must go to Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington to complete the verification process through 2020.
In addition to traditional wagers, PointsBet offers a unique feature called PointsBetting wagers, a high-risk type of wager that gives players the opportunity to win more depending on how “right” they are.
Hard Rock Sioux City sportsbook
The fifth mobile app to open in Iowa, Hard Rock’s betting platform is operated by Gaming Innovation Group (GIG).
Q Casino sportsbook
Launching in November 2019, Q Casino is self-operating its sports betting app on an IGT’s platform. Users must complete registration for an online wagering account at the casino in Dubuque through 2020.
Elite Casinos sportsbook
The second sports betting app up in Iowa in late August 2019 and the second-most successful in total handle to date, Elite operates on a Bet.Works platform. Players can go to one of three casino partners to complete registration for the app: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, Rhythm City Casino in Davenport or Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood.
William Hill sportsbook
The first sports betting app to open in Iowa in August 2019, William Hill was the earyl leader in total handle for online betting in Iowa. To complete registration and verify your identity, visit one of four casino partners in the state: Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Lakeside Casino, Isle Casino Waterloo and Isle Casino Bettendorf.
FanDuel Sportsbook
The US market leaders has a retail sports betting presence at Diamond Jo Casino but has yet to launch its sports wagering app in Iowa.
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People within Iowa borders can now bet on all pro sports, college games, and international sporting events.
The only legal requirements are that you are over 21, inside state lines, and not on a self-exclusion list. There is no requirement to be a permanent resident of Iowa.
There are some restrictions for betting:
- Bets can only be taken on sports, not on things like elections and the Oscars.
- No bets on esports.
- Personnel involved in sports leagues (officials, coaches and so on) can’t bet on their own sports
- No in-game prop bets are allowed on in-state college teams.
There are also illegal offshore websites that offer sports betting in Iowa. Websites not listed on this page are not authorized to operate in Iowa.
Without regulation from the state, these offshore betting apps can’t be counted on to pay out winnings and have been known to disappear with people’s money.
Most popular sports to bet on in Iowa
NCAA betting in Iowa
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission made a point to get sports betting up by the beginning of college football season in 2019 because college football is king in Iowa. Without any major professional sports teams, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones are the big draws.
In-play wagers are not allowed on in-state college teams.
NFL betting in Iowa
Football in general is very popular in Iowa, with favorite teams often depending on what part of the state people live in. The Minnesota Vikings have long been the most popular NFL team in the state, particular for those in the northern parts. To the west, the there are more fans of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
Quickly gaining ground on the Vikings are the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, especially for people closer to the Missouri border.
MLB betting in Iowa
Ray Kinsella will tell you that baseball has a special place in Iowa, home of the Field of Dreams movie site. Favorite baseball teams of Iowans are similarly territorial. The Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs capture the hearts of most Iowans, with the Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals grabbing their share of fans.
NBA betting in Iowa
Iowa did once have a team in one of the four major professional sports leagues. The Waterloo Hawks played in the NBA for one season in 1949-50. Michael Jordan eventually turned most Iowans into Chicago Bulls fans.
NHL betting in Iowa
Iowa might not seem like an ideal place for ice hockey, but the NHL has gained popularity in recent years. The Minnesota Wild moved its minor league affiliate, the Iowa Wild, to Des Moines in 2013 to cement a relationship with the state. Many Iowans still love the Chicago Blackhawks for their three Stanley Cup wins since 2010.
Iowa and Daily Fantasy Sports
The Iowa sports betting law signed by the governor in May 2019 also legalized daily fantasy sports.
DraftKings became the first DFS operator to receive a license from the Iowa Racing and Wagering Commission in October 2019, ending a prohibition of DFS in the state. FanDuel joined the fray a month later.
The market began with fantasy contests allowed only on athletes in professional sports, but as of May 2020 the sites are allowed to feature collegiate players in contests as well.
Is horse racing legal in Iowa?
Yes, in addition to being the most popular sports betting venue in Iowa, Prairie Meadows is the state’s lone live horseracing venue.
Located in Altoona, Iowa, Prairie Meadows opened in 1989. It typically offers thoroughbred, quarter and mixed meets four days a week from May to September.
Alongside horse betting on its live racing, Prairie Meadows offers simulcasting and wagering onsite. Players can place their bets and view races at tracks around the country in real-time.
There are also a few off-track betting sites around the state. In addition to Prairie Meadows, bettors can catch simulcast action and make wagers at Q Casino and the Wild Rose Casino – Clinton.
Iowa allows its residents and visitors to bet horse races online at sites such as TwinSpires, TVG and BetAmerica.
Iowa sportsbooks and casinos
Eighteen of the 19 commercial casinos in Iowa have opened sportsbooks, with the 19th expected to open soon after major sports resume in the US.
| Property | Retail? | Online? | Partner(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameristar | Y | N | Kambi |
| Catfish Bend | Y | N | PointsBet |
| Isle Bettendorf | Y | Y | William Hill |
| Isle Waterloo | Y | Y | William Hill |
| Lakeside | Y | Y | William Hill |
| Prairie Meadows | Y | Y | William Hill |
| Rhythm City | Y | N | Elite, Bet.Works |
| Riverside | Y | N | Elite, Bet.Works |
| Harrah's | Y | N | |
| Horseshoe | Y | N | |
| Q Casino | Y | Y | IGT |
| Hard Rock | Y | Y | Gaming Innovation Group |
| Diamond Jo Dubuque | Y | N | BetFair, FanDuel |
| Diamond Jo Worth | Y | N | BetFair, FanDuel |
| Wild Rose Clinton | Y | Y | DraftKings |
| Wild Rose Emmetsburg | Y | Y | DraftKings |
| Wild Rose Jefferson | Y | Y | DraftKings |
| Grand Falls | Y | Y | Elite, Bet.Works, Betfred |
| Casino Queen Marquette | N | N |
Prairie Meadows
The most successful sporsbook in Iowa for its location in a suburb of Des Moines. The only casino property in the state with live horse racing, Prairie Meadows also offers slot machines, table games and poker tournaments.
Address: One Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona, IA 50009
Telephone: 1-800-325-9015
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to midnight, Friday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to midnight.
Ameristar Casino
One of the last remaining riverboat casinos in Iowa, Ameristar packs 1,500 slot machines and 20 tables game on a boat.
Address: 2200 River Road, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Telephone: 712-328-8888
Sportsbook Hours: Daily 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Diamond Jo Worth
The closest legal sports betting option for many Minnesotans, Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood has slot machines, table games and a poker room. The sportsbook is operated by FanDuel.
Address: 777 Diamond Jo Lane, Northwood, IA 50459
Telephone: 641-323-7777
Sportsbook Hours: Daily 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo
A newer casino in Iowa, opening in 2007, the Waterloo location features nearly 900 slots and video poker machines along with table games. The William Hills sportsbook is operated by American Wagering.
Address: 777 Isle of Capri Blvd, Waterloo, IA 50701
Telephone: 1-800-THE-ISLE
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 .m., Sunday 8 a.m. to midnight
Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
Located along the Missouri River, this property has slots, table games, a large poker room and a golf course. The book contains sports betting and horse betting.
Address: 2701 23rd Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Telephone: 1-877-771-SHOE
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Friday opens 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday opens 9 a.m.
Riverside Casino and Golf Resort
Located along the Iowa River, Riverside Casino features a world-class golf course, slot machines, a variety of table games and a poker room.
Address: 3184 Highway 22, Riverside, IA 52327
Telephone: 319-648-1234
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Grand Falls Casino Resort
Situated near the South Dakota border, Grand Falls offers slot machines, table games and a poker room. The casino opened a state-of-the-art Betfred sportsbook early in 2020.
Address: 1415 Grand Falls Blvd., Larchwood, IA 51241
Telephone: 712-777-7777
Sportsbook Hours: Sunday to Thursday noon to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 9 p.m.
Rhythm City Casino
Converted from a riverboat casino to land-based in 2016, Rhythm City offers slot machines and table games.
Address: 7077 Elmore Avenue, Davenport, IA 52807
Telephone: 563-328-8000
Sportsbook Hours: Opens Monday to Thursday at 1 p.m., Friday at 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m.
Diamond Jo – Dubuque
If you want to stop by a casino after checking out the movie site for Field of Dreams, this is the closest casino to the baseball diamond where Shoeless Joe Jackson emerges from the cornfield. The FanDuel sportsbook is 2,150 square feet with 34 screens.
Address: 301 Bell Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
Telephone: 1-800-582-5956
Sportsbook Hours: Monday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday noon to 10 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday noon to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., self-serving betting terminals 24/7.
Isle Casino Bettendorf
Located along the Mississippi river, Isle Casino Bettendorf converted from a riverboat to land-based casino in 2016. The William Hill sportsbook is operated by American Wagering.
Address: 1800 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf, IA 52722
Telephone: 1-800-724-5825
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Harrah’s Council Bluffs
Another former riverboat casino offers a small amount of gaming options but a large on-site hotel and a golf course next door.
Address: 1 Harrah’s Boulevard, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Telephone: 1-800-427-7247
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Hard Rock Casino
Located in Sioux City’s historic Battery Building, the Hard Rock Hotel is one of only five AAA Four Diamond rated in Iowa. The property also has a concert venue, 800 slot machines and nearly 30 table games.
Address: 111 3rd St., Sioux City, IA 51101
Telephone: 712-224-7625
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Friday noon to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Lakeside Casino
The only riverboat casino in Iowa that sits in a lake, Lakeside Casino offers slot machines and table games. American Wagering operates the William Hill sportsbook
Address: 777 Casino Drive, Osceola, IA 50213
Telephone: 877-477-5253
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Q Casino
Located on Chaplain Schmitt Island, Q Casino features slot machines, table games, a poker room and free greyhound races. The 4,200 square foot sportsbook features a 165-inch video wall along with 47 TVs.
Address: 1855 Greyhound Park Rd, Dubuque, IA 52001
Telephone: 1-800-373-3647
Sportsbook Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday to Sunday noon to 10 p.m., sports betting kiosks 24/7.
Catfish Bend Casino
The most southeast casino in the state located near the Illinois and Missouri borders, Catfish Bend offers slot machines, table games, live poker games and weekly poker tournaments.
Address: 3001 Winegard Dr., Burlington, IA 52601
Telephone: 1-866-792-9948
Sportsbook Hours: Monday 11 a.m. to midnight, Tuesday to Thursday 3 p.m. to midnight, Friday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m, Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to midnight.
Wild Rose – Clinton
This small casino offers slot machines, tables games, off-track betting and a sportsbook operated by DraftKings.
Address: 777 Wild Rose Drive, Clinton, IA 52732
Telephone: 1-800-457-9975
Sportsbook Hours: Closed Monday to Wednesday, Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wild Rose – Emmetsburg
Located near the Minnesota border, this small casino with slots and table games has the lowest sports betting handle of any Iowa casino.
Address: 777 Main St., Emmetsburg, IA 50536
Telephone: 712-852-3400
Sportsbook Hours: Monday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wild Rose – Jefferson
The closest casino for Des Moines residents to complete verification for the DraftKings sportsbook mobile app. The retail sportsbook is the largest in the state at nearly 6,000 square feet with a 200-inch HD projector and 28 TVs.
Address: 777 Wild Rose Drive, Jefferson, IA 50129
Telephone: 515-386-7777
Sportsbook Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Casino Queen Marquette
One of the smallest casinos in the state, the Casino Queen is the only commercial casino in Iowa not yet offering sports betting. However, the casino did get approved for a license to offer sports betting early in 2020.
Address: 100 Anti-Monopoly Street, Marquette, IA 52158
Telephone: 1-800-496-8238
Sportsbook Hours: N/A
Iowa sports betting timeline
2019
After weeks of deliberation, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Iowa sports betting into law on May 13.
Sen. Bobby Kaufmann and Rep. Roby Smith, chairs of the Ways and Means committees, led the way as SF 617 received a total of 16 hearings in the two chambers and passed with bipartisan support.
The law contains a number of specifics on how sports gambling.
- 6.75% tax rate on revenue
- $45,000 license fee
- Mobile betting will be allowed
- Up to two different sportsbook apps can operate under each license
- You must register for mobile apps in person until Jan. 1, 2021
- Operators may not take prop bets involving in-state college teams
- Regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission
The IRGC moved quickly to pass emergency rules and get sportsbook operators licensed and authorized to launch sports betting Iowa before the college football and NFL seasons. Retail and mobile sports betting in Iowa began on August 15.
2018
Even before the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA, Iowa was aggressively pursuing sports betting authorization in anticipation of a favorable ruling.
Rep. Jake Highfill filed a bill that looked very similar to what passed in 2019. Iowa’s legislative session adjourned without bill passage a week before the decision came in May, with Highfill promising that Iowa legislators were “all in” on passing a sports betting bill in 2019. He was right
Iowa sports betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in Iowa?
Yes. An official launch took place in August 2019.
Where can I bet on sports in Iowa?
You can place wagers online, through mobile apps and at 18 of the 19 casinos located in the state.
Is online sports betting available in Iowa?
Yes, you can bet online from anywhere in the state once you register with an app in person. The in-person requirement will go away in 2021.
Who can bet on sports in Iowa?
Anyone over the age of 21 can legally bet on sports in Iowa.
How much revenue does Iowa sports betting generate?
Iowa sportsbooks are holding about 7% of sports bets in the early going. Revenue is limited by the requirement that people register for online Iowa sports betting accounts in person.
Are offshore sportsbooks legal?
Offshore sportsbooks that serve customers in IA violate a number of federal laws and state laws. While bettors might not get in trouble for placing a bet an offshore site, all of them do so illegally.