Iowa online sports betting laws

Iowa moved quickly to legalize sports betting after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was declared unconstitutional in 2018. That move effectively opened the door for states to license sports betting if they wished – and the Hawkeye State was one that clearly did.

The state legislature passed bill SF 617 , which enabled and placed retail and online sports betting under the oversight of The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) , in May 2019. Just three months later, in August 2019, the first bets in the state were placed.

Sportsbooks were incentivized to do business in Iowa by some of the lowest licensing fees in the US. The cost of an initial license for the first year is just $45,000, and an annual renewal fee is $10,000.

In the immediate aftermath of Iowa online sports betting being legalized, it was not possible to sign up remotely for an account. Players had to travel to one of the casinos affiliated to online sportsbooks. There they had to verify their identity and complete the registration process in person before they could wager on sports online.

That changed at the start of 2021. Players can now sign up for an account with an online sportsbook from their desktops or mobile device, without having to visit a casino in person. You have to be within the state of Iowa, however, because sportsbooks have geolocation technology that will check your location before allowing you to register.

William Hill was the first operator to launch an online and mobile app in Iowa in August 2019, just a few weeks after the sportsbooks at Iowa casinos began in-person operation. It has five casino partners in the state: Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Lakeside Casino, Isle Casino Waterloo, Isle Casino Bettendorf, and Horseshoe Council Bluffs.

William Hill was soon followed by the sportsbooks of Elite, Q Casino, and Hard Rock Sioux City, as well as PointsBet, DraftKings, and BetMGM. As of May 2021, there were nine sportsbooks operating in the state, with Unibet expected to become the 10th, with a launch planned for the start of the 2021 NFL season.

Yes, they are. Gambling is taxed federally as well as locally, like in most states of the US. It is extremely advisable to keep a record of all your winnings. Sportsbooks are obliged legally to report the winning of their players.

Iowa laws require you to be at least 21 years old to gamble within their state. This includes even lotteries and raffles – activities that are excluded from such restrictions in many states.

Although you don’t have to be a resident of the state to visit Iowa betting sites, you do need to be within the state boundaries to register for a sports betting account and to be able to place wagers here.

No individuals in Iowa who are involved in any sport league – that includes players, coaches, athletic trainers, and officials – are allowed to bet on their own sports.

Esports have begun to command enormous audiences in recent years. However, because of the youth of many of the participants, and a healthy proportion of the people tuning in to watch, no betting on esports is allowed in Iowa.

It remains illegal for US citizens to wager on politics. Even though hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide are staked on each presidential election, no sportsbook licensed in the US will carry odds on political markets.

Wagers may only be placed on an “authorized sporting event”. This includes a professional sporting event, collegiate sporting event, international sporting event, or professional motor race event. This specifically does not include minor league, high school, or youth sports.