A Guide to Gambling in Iowa

Outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, no place in America offers the same scope of gambling options as Iowa.

With 19 commercial casinos, and three more of the tribal variety, the Hawkeye State’s population of 3.1 million has more gambling venues to choose from per capita than anywhere else in the nation.

Throw in a state lottery, horseracing and greyhound tracks, bingo halls and other forms of legal gambling and Iowa is a punter’s paradise.

This page will walk you through everything you need to know about gambling in Iowa, including a thorough review of the relevant laws, a discussion about online gambling options in the state, a historical timeline, frequently asked questions and a wealth of additional resources.

We hope our Guide to Gambling in Iowa proves useful as you prepare to bring your bankroll to America’s heartland.

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Online Gambling and Iowan Law

As is the case for 47 states – leaving aside Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware – players in Iowa who prefer wagering online have little recourse in terms of legal options.

Simply put, the federal law known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 is still the law of the land – even if it has proven to be extremely unpopular. The UIGEA was passed during the “poker boom”, when everybody and their mother could be found bluffing and building stacks on sites like PartyPoker, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

The law used a federal statute known as the Wire Act of 1961 – which prohibited sports betting wagers from being placed via telephone – as precedent for banning online gambling.

Congressional “leaders” attached the UIGEA to an unrelated bill to support port security spending, knowing the last minute amendment to shoe in legislation would never be seriously studied. It passed of course, and when it did, operating an online gambling enterprise that serves American players became a federal crime.

Operators like PartyPoker took the hint and withdrew from the U.S. market almost immediately, but sites like PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and dozens of small online casinos chose to stick it out. They flouted the law for five years, allowing millions of Americans to enjoy poker, blackjack, slots and other games from the comfort of home.

But in April of 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) brought the hammer down on these so-called “rogue operators,” unsealing an indictment against several of the key executives involved. They also seized domain names and shuttered the offending sites, suddenly denying access to the major sites for millions of players in an incident known as “Black Friday.”

Things looked bleak, but by December of 2011 the DOJ released an opinion that rocked the industry. According to them, the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, meaning the UIGEA couldn’t be used to ban online poker, casino games and slots.

Almost immediately, individual states began exploring their own regulated online gambling industries, and the three listed above succeeded in passing legislation to that effect. Today, players in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware can gamble online through fully regulated and licensed sites.

As for Iowa, progress has been all but absent.

The state hasn’t actively considered an online poker/casino bill in five years, and recent efforts to make daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal have failed.

That leaves players in a state of legal limbo, with only offshore operators to choose from. Playing on an unregulated site for real money can be a scary prospect for most, and that’s perfectly understandable given the few bad apples out there.

Thankfully, established sites like the ones above, have filled the niche admirably, providing dedicated service to American players for several years, and even decades in some cases. These platforms are well respected for a reason, as they’ve worked diligently to cultivate a strong reputation with their player base. By paying out promptly, offering generous bonuses and promotions and operating with game integrity at the forefront, sites like these are safely used for real money online gambling millions of times every year.

Also On This Page

Is Online Gambling Legal in Iowa?

Not exactly, but it’s definitely not illegal either.

As we just discussed above, Iowa resides in the dreaded “grey zone” when it comes to online gambling law. In other words, no statutes are on the books to decide the issue one way or another.

You won’t find any language expressly legalizing online gambling, and the last serious effort on that front failed back in 2012. At that time, lawmakers looked into creating a statewide network of online poker sites that would be linked to the state’s licensed casinos.

That bill was even passed by the Senate, but it ultimately stalled out due to objections raised by the Republican controlled House.

Today, nothing has changed, so the only guidance found in the Iowa Code would be under Section 725.9, which covers gambling devices:

“725.9 Possession of gambling devices prohibited — exception for manufacturing.

3. ‘Gambling device’ means a device used or adapted or designed to be used for gambling and includes, but is not limited to, roulette wheels, klondike tables, punchboards, faro layouts, keno layouts, numbers tickets, slot machines, pinball machines, push cards, jar tickets and pull-tabs. However, ‘gambling device’ does not include an antique slot machine, antique pinball machine, or any device regularly manufactured and offered for sale and sold as a toy, except that any use of such a toy, antique slot machine or antique pinball machine for gambling purposes constitutes unlawful gambling.”

In a strict reading of this law, a talented attorney may be able to argue that a computer or mobile device outfitted with an online gambling application has been “adapted … to be used for gambling.”

We wouldn’t agree with that sentiment in the slightest, but stranger things have happened in the courtroom.

All things considered, online gambling is surely not legal in Iowa (just yet), while the issue of illegality is less settled. In any event, authorities are only interested in punishing operators – those collecting big bucks from online gambling sites without paying taxes – not players.

Are Offshore Gambling Sites Safe?

Most of them are as safe as using Amazon or eBay to shop online.

Unfortunately, those bad apples we mentioned earlier do crop up from time to time, and their malfeasance tends to attract media attention. For this reason, many readers may have a bad taste in their mouths when the phrase “offshore gambling sites” is mentioned.

In reality, instances of fraud or mistreatment of players are few and far between in the online gambling industry – and for one simple reason. Savvy operators know the numbers, and with negative expectation games making up the entirety of their selection, an online casino will always generate healthy profits simply by running things above board.

There’s just no reason to steal from players, delay payouts or mess with game integrity when an online casino ran honestly will still pull in piles of cash.

That’s why our recommended sites have been in the business for so long – two decades in some cases – because players know by now where they’ll be treated right. The player community is close-knit thanks to the Internet, and online gambling forums are hotbeds for discussion and “experience swapping.”

When a player is mistreated by a particular site, they may be written off as an anomaly. But when dozens or even hundreds of players are posting similar stories-the jig is up.

If you’re concerned about bringing your bankroll to an offshore gambling site, read up on the player generated reviews found all over the Internet. Shop around for a few different sources, read as many reviews as you can and exercise common sense when choosing an online gambling platform.

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Iowa?

Nope, not to our knowledge anyhow.

A thorough search online for arrests related to online gambling in Iowa turned up no results whatsoever. As we discussed in the first question, there just aren’t any laws on the books that a local police department or state gaming regulator could rely on to charge you for online gambling.

Until the General Assembly introduces a bill to expressly ban the industry, AND the voters ratify that decision via referendum vote, the law is quite clear in this regard: cops have no standing to arrest online gamblers.

More Gambling Laws in Iowa

• Casino Gambling: (Legal)
• Tribal Gambling: (Legal)
• Poker: (Legal)
• Horse Racing Betting: (Legal)
• Dog Racing Betting: (Legal)
• Lottery: (Legal)
• Bingo: (Legal)
• Daily Fantasy Sports: (Illegal)
• Charitable Gaming: (Legal – under certain circumstances)
• Social Gambling: (Legal – under certain circumstances)

As the wave of green above clearly shows, Iowa is one of the most gambling friendly states in all of America. Currently, players can take part in casino gambling (both commercial and tribal), poker rooms, horse and dog racing, the state lottery, bingo halls and charity/social games.

In fact, the only forms of gambling that are expressly forbidden in Iowa are sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports (DFS), but even the latter has been proposed for legalization twice over the last two years.

As you’ll learn in the History of Gambling in Iowa timeline below, it wasn’t always this way, as the state’s original Constitution simply banned gambling in any form.

That prohibition lasted for 12 decades, leaving entire generations of Iowans in the cold when it comes to wagering on games of chance or skill. But eventually, a 1972 proposed by the General Assembly and passed by voters via the referendum process, repealed that portion of the Constitution. At the time, lawmakers sought to relax restrictions for senior citizens who enjoyed bingo nights as recreational gambling.

But the 1972 repeal opened the proverbial floodgates, and by 1989 Iowa was home to bingo halls, pari-mutuel betting on races, a state lottery and even miniature casinos setup on so called “excursion boats” anchored in the waters of the Mississippi River. The final piece to the puzzle was added in 1994 when lawmakers and voters combined to legalize slot machines and casino gambling within the racetrack setting.

With land based “racinos” now operating alongside the riverboat casinos, it was only a matter of time before full-scale Las Vegas style resort casinos were authorized. That move came in 2007, and today, Iowa is home to an astounding 22 casino venues.

The key law covering gambling in Iowa can be found under Section 725.7 of the Iowa Code, which provides the following definition of illegal gambling (emphasis added):

“1. Except as permitted in chapters 99B [bingo] and 99D [racetracks], a person shall not do any of the following:

a. Participate in a game for any sum of money or other property of any value.

b. Make any bet.

c. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.

d. For a fee, deliver anything of value which has been received outside the enclosure of a racetrack licensed under chapter 99D to be placed as wagers in the pari-mutuel pool or other authorized systems of wagering.

e. Engage in bookmaking.”

As you can see, this statute references two other sections of the Iowa Code – Chapters 99B and 99D – both of which provide broad protections to gamblers. Essentially, gambling is only illegal in Iowa when players place wagers outside of a licensed bingo hall, racino or casino.

With dozens of these venues scattered throughout the state, gamblers have plenty of options to choose from, making violations of the gambling law quite rare.

Another interesting law on the books is Chapter 99B-1, which provides clear distinctions between games of chance and games of skill:

“15. ‘Game of chance’ means a game whereby the result is determined by chance and the player in order to win aligns objects or balls in a prescribed pattern or order or makes certain color patterns appear and specifically includes but is not limited to the game defined as bingo. Game of chance does not include a slot machine.

16. ‘Game of skill’ means a game whereby the result is determined by the player directing or throwing objects to designated areas or targets, or by maneuvering water or an object into a designated area, or by maneuvering a dragline device to pick up particular items, or by shooting a gun or rifle.”

Interestingly enough, Iowa lawmakers classified daily fantasy sports (DFS) as a game of chance during recent deliberations of regulation.

Finally, you need to be 21 years or older to gamble legally in Iowa, per Section 725.19 of the Iowa Code:

“1. Any person under the age of twenty-one years shall not make or attempt to make a gambling wager, except as permitted under chapter 99B. A person who violates this subsection commits a scheduled violation under section 805.8C, subsection 5.

2. A person who knowingly permits a person under the age of twenty-one years to make or attempt to make a gambling wager, except as permitted under chapter 99B, is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.”

Gambling Venues in Iowa

For a state that spent more than 120 years as a gambler’s “no man’s land,” and one with a small population of just over 3 million, Iowa boasts a surprisingly wide variety of casinos.

According to the Iowa Gaming Association, the Hawkeye State is home to 22 casino venues – with 19 operated as commercial entities and three more under tribal ownership.

The listing below includes need to know information on all 19 venues, so take a look to find your favorite gambling hotspot below:

Commercial Casinos

Tribal Casinos

History of Gambling in Iowa

Iowa Gambling FAQ

Whenever we digest a healthy portion of new knowledge, we always find ourselves asking questions down the road. Inquiry is an essential part of the learning process, and we know you probably have a few questions of your own.

With that in mind, we tried to anticipate what readers might be wondering about with a few frequently asked questions about gambling in Iowa. Read on to see if your query has been answered:

Additional Resources

If you’ve made it this far through our page, chances are high you’d like to learn all you can about gambling laws in Iowa.

We urge you to continue your studies by taking advantage of the three links below, which direct you to useful resources that provide a clearer picture of the state’s thriving gambling industry:

• This link takes you to the Legislative Guide to Gambling in Iowa, an invaluable resource for anybody who wants to know the ins and outs of every law on the books. Originally written in 1967, the Guide has been continually updated ever since.
• The Iowa Gaming Association (IGA) is your one stop shop for all information on the state’s gambling industry. This isn’t a government organization that will bury you in legal statutes and other paperwork, as the IGA independently represents the gambling industry’s interests.
• This brochure includes detailed information on all 19 of Iowa’s state licensed casino venues. We covered those in our listings above, but the brochure includes a wealth of additional information on nearby amenities, restaurant options, and driving directions.

The Future and Your Views

When one considers the gambling friendly climate that dominates Iowa, home to no less than 22 land based casinos, the state would seem to be ripe for online gambling reform. Indeed, an online poker bill was approved by the Iowa Senate in 2011, only to be killed off by a Republican controlled House.

Alas, no further progress has been made in the Hawkeye State when it comes to online gambling rights. That can always change, however, as Iowa’s referendum based approach to lawmaking ensures that voters wield their share of the power.