Iowa has had a complicated history with gambling, being in support of certain types of casino entertainment, while completely opposed to others. Let’s take a closer look at the gambling laws of Iowa.
History of the Gambling Legalization
Some key legalizations that one might expect may be missing from the information below. As we’ve just said, Iowa can be tricky in terms of gambling legislation. For example, Pennsylvania state passed bills to legalize online gaming in 2017, but Iowa doesn’t really address it in its laws.
Let’s go way back. There was a clause in the Iowa Constitution of 1846 that said the state could not authorize lotteries or lottery tickets. The definition of a lottery was any kind of gambling game.
Since a constitutional amendment was passed in 1972, gambling has been authorized and has grown in the state of Iowa. A number of restrictions were put into place two years after gambling became legal. Blackjack, craps, and other games were outlawed, and bookmaking establishments were prohibited.
Iowa was the first state to legalize riverboat gambling in 1989, albeit with tight restrictions on maximum winnings and bets. According to the regulations, in order for the enterprises to be considered excursion boat gambling, the boats have to go on trips on a regular basis.
After these restrictions were lifted in 1993, Iowa’s casinos gradually started to relocate to dry land. There is now only one riverboat casino.
On April 18, 1985, the Iowa Lottery was enacted into law. The Iowa Lottery generated $430 million in sales as of June 30, 2022, with over $97 million going toward financing state initiatives.
So What’s Legal in Iowa?
Let’s look at the types of gambling in Iowa. What’s legal and what isn’t?
Online Betting
The Iowa legislature approved sports betting in 2019, and as of right now, the market is home to 18 online sportsbooks. Daily fantasy sports were also made legal and regulated at the same time. To take part, you have to be in the state.
Online Casinos
There are no laws that particularly address online gambling in Iowa, nor have there been any regulations for online poker rooms or casinos. In Iowa, there has never been a prosecution for using offshore gaming sites. But, there are secure substitutes available in the form of social casinos.
Social Casinos
In Iowa, you can play at social casinos for free without having to make any deposits. Upon registering, players of social casinos are credited with a certain quantity of tokens or sweep coins. Players can use them to play table games and slots online. Since there is no financial risk to the user, they are classified as sweepstakes rather than gambling and are hence fully legal in Iowa.
Land-Based Casinos
Iowa is home to 23 casinos in total, including 19 establishments with state licenses and 4 Native American casinos. There are 18 on land and 1 on a riverboat among the casinos with state licenses. For casinos, the minimum age to gamble is 21, 21 for horse racing, 21 for sports betting, 18 for bingo, 21 for poker, and 21 for lotteries.
