Iowa Betting Laws & Guide

Iowa became the 11th state to legalize sports betting on August 15, 2019. The state stepped up by laying money on a variety of collegiate and professional sporting events. Iowa bettors were initially expected to visit a brick-and-mortar casino sportsbook so as to register for mobile sports betting. However, they can now complete this process online. The sports betting market is regulated by the IRGC, and it has become one of the strongest in the nation.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Iowa?

Yes. Sports betting was legalized in Iowa in May 2019. The first sportsbook apps went live in August 2019. The state hosts a variety of online sportsbooks even though no major pro teams are in the state. People in Iowa can place bets in multiple legal online sportsbooks. New users can enjoy the various bonuses provided by these sportsbooks.

What Betting Sites Are Legal in Iowa?

DraftKings Sportsbook

This sportsbook appears at the top of this list because it provides a smooth application with top features such as the Flash Boot option for live wagers and betting pools. As a user, you can stack up against other betters for an opportunity to win prizes. Furthermore, the application has a great UX design making it a very slick betting platform.

Caesars Sportsbook

This sportsbook provides competitive odds up and down the menu from a trusted brand name. The best feature that you will get from this sportsbook is the regular promos provided to existing players.

Up to $1,250 back on your first bet when you join Caesars here

BetMGM Sportsbook

This sportsbook has a unique element which is that it provides sports that will most likely not be in other books, such as snooker. There is a good chance that you will find a sport on this site that you can bet on and get a decent amount of interest.

$1,000 Risk-Free Bet for all new BetMGM players here

BetRivers Sportsbook

The sportsbook offers a variety of good features, including an extensive sports menu, a proper layout for props and alternate lines, and one of the best rewards programs in the industry. Its best feature, the iRush Rewards, would lead it to snag a decent amount of Iowa’s market share.

New BetRivers players get up to a $500 free bet

Betfred Sportsbook

As a user of this sportsbook, you will have some of the most competitive odds to find in the industry with an aesthetically pleasing display. The sleek presentation and extensive experience in the European sportsbook market assure you of getting hooked to the site and enjoying their competitive offers.

Unibet Sportsbook

The sportsbook has a simplistic nature that has allowed it to work fine and be easy to use. The live betting and streaming capabilities make it an attractive option for betters. Additionally, it provides a vast range of betting markets, amazing promotions, and competitive odds, which are the needs for every better in the industry’s market.

FanDuel Sportsbook

The sportsbook provides a better web and mobile experience. Specifically, it will lay out for you everything in a clear fashion such that you are able to explore its numerous features. As a registered member, you will get promos and deals with exclusive deals in live streaming.

PointsBet Sportsbook

This sportsbook gives you features such as competitive odds and high potential rewards and is effective for regular betting. The online sportsbook has solid experience with reasonable pricing and stellar coverage.

New PointsBet players get 4 x $200 in free bets when they join here

Iowa Sports Betting Rules and Regulations

Iowa currently has 20 casinos. While there is a limitation on the number of casinos that should be in the state, the IRGC has adopted a policy that prohibits the acceptance of new applications for new locations. All gaming facilities and related operations must be licensed by the IRGC. Even though Iowa doesn’t condition licenses, the IRGC requires all licenses to adhere to all federal, state, and local laws in all their applications. The IRGC licenses are annual, and they must be renewed every year. As such, entities and individuals have to deal with the regular monitoring completed by the IRGC and the DCI. All licensees must adhere to requests from individuals who want to be excluded and not include these individuals in mailings and customer solicitations. Furthermore, mobile betting is only allowed via a mobile account with intrastate bets only.

Best Mobile Sportsbooks Available in Iowa

DraftKings Sportsbook- this offers an excellent betting experience, especially for bettors that use its world-class DFS platform.

Caesars Sportsbook- this is the best for new users as they offer a generous welcome offer.

BetMGM Sportsbook- this sportsbook offers a loyalty program where users can earn freebies at MGM properties around the state.

BetRivers Sportsbook- this sportsbook’s welcome offer provides the most player-friendly terms in the industry.

Betfred Sportsbook- this sportsbook is the best for allowing you to participate in sports wagers you may never have been interested in.

Unibet Sportsbook- this sportsbook offers the greatest betting depth on international sports.

FanDuel Sportsbook- users can live chat with customer support if they want to get answers fast.

PointsBet Sportsbook- PointsBet offers innovative betting options, especially PointsBetting, which allows you to earn multiplied winnings.

Iowa Sports Betting Promos

FanDuel Bonus

If you are a new user of FanDuel Sportsbook, you can claim a $1000 promotion that will make your first bet sweat-free. Ensure that you make your first bet count. Your first bet with the sportsbook will be insured for up to $1000. The more you bet, the more you will receive if your bet losses. If your first eligible wager loses, you will receive a refund of your bet amount in site credit of up to $1000.

Get your $1,000 No Sweat First Bet by clicking here and joining FanDuel

DraftKings Bonus

DraftKings Iowa has a couple of welcome offers for new customers. The free bet only requires you to create a new account at DraftKings, while the second is based on your initial deposit with the sportsbook. Together, the bonuses can be worth up to $1050. The first bonus is worth $50 in the form of a free bet. The second bonus is a 20% deposit match bonus on your initial deposit. This bonus is worth up to $1000. Therefore, a $100 deposit gets you a $20 bonus.

New DraftKings players get a deposit bonus up to $1,000

What Are the Sports to Bet on in Iowa?

• NFL

• NBA

• MLB

• NHL

• Hawkeyes Football

• Iowa State Cyclones Football

• Hawkeyes Men’s Basketball

Iowa Sports Betting Tips

Only bet on sports you understand

Unless you understand the sport and how to apply your edges properly, you will not understand the math involved in sports betting. Even though chasing steam is a proven strategy for winning sports bets, it can be dangerous if you don’t understand the sport you are betting.

Never bet based on emotion

When it comes to sports betting, you need to use varying tools to try and predict the outcome of a sporting event. There is no room for personal biases or emotions when it comes to winning bets. When betting on sports, you should try to be completely emotionless. A few of the mistakes you may make when you involve emotions include betting on your favorite team and not betting on a team because you lost several bets on it previously.

Don’t bet too often

The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that you can wager on every game, market, or proposition. In this instance, you should consider using betting lines to predict the outcome of sporting events you want to bet on. Again, sportsbooks use state-of-the-art equipment and a staff of experienced odd makers to ensure their markets are efficient. This means that when you bet too often, you will end up losing a lot of money.

Don’t bet too much money

It is illogical to wager on more games just because you won your previous bets. This is because there is no correlation between winning an earlier wager and winning your next few bets. Therefore, never bet too much money because betting is a long-run activity where you can bet later on.

Iowa Sports Betting Tax Rates

The Iowa government takes taxes from sportsbooks and bettors. Therefore, the state has a withholding rule for all the gambling wins from bettors. The withholding rule dictates that if you win over a certain amount, casinos and sportsbooks are obliged to keep some money on behalf of the state and federal authorities. 24% is withheld for federal taxes, along with 5%. Sports betting net wagering receipts are subjected to a tax of 6.75%. On top of this, they have to pay a licensing fee of $45,000. Iowa bettors can get deductions on their tax bill based on the losses they make. However, the losses must be lower than the reported wins. Sportsbooks, lottery commissions, and casinos are required to report the winnings of all their players. If the returns don’t match, they could get audited. Therefore, they must report wins of more than $600 in a year.

Is DraftKings Sports Betting Legal in Iowa?

Yes. DraftKings Sportsbook partnered with Wild Rose Casinos. As a result, the sportsbook manages the retail sportsbook within its locations. The sportsbook offers multiple American and international sports for bettors to bet on. There are also several different bet types that are unique to DraftKings. These include live, Sportsbook Teasers, and in-game betting. The sportsbook utilizes advanced security that makes it the safest betting platform.

Is FanDuel Sports Betting Legal in Iowa?

Yes. FanDuel Sportsbook is legal throughout Iowa. The layout of the sportsbook is clean and simple to navigate. Users can easily find desired bets because all the sporting options can be easily found on the home screen. You can also take advantage of the multiple live-betting options offered by the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Iowa Sports Teams

• Cedar Rapids Kernals (Baseball)

• Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (Hockey)

• Des Moines Buccaneers (Hockey)

• Dubuque Fighting Saints (Hockey)

• Iowa Cubs (Baseball)

• Iowa Hertlanders (Hockey)

• Iowa Wild (Hockey)

• Iowa Wolves (Basketball)

• Quad Cities River Bandits (Baseball)

• Sioux City Musketeers (Hockey)

• Waterloo Black Hawks (Hockey)

Latest Iowa Sports Betting News

• After four months of a decline in sports betting handle, IRGC showed a positive uptick last month. In August, Iowa sports betting received a handle of $122.6.

• The IRGC fined Iowa sportsbook’s licensing company $60,000 because of the illegal use of a credit card. In Iowa, it is illegal to use credit cards to place wagers. An audit discovered that the licensing company allowed Iowa Sportsbook to make deposits made with a credit card. There were even instances cases when prepaid debit cards were used to deposit funds. Once this issue was discovered, the commission knew that the payment processor used was also being used by six other vendors in Iowa.

• On August 28, BlueBet got a license from IRGC to legally offer its sportsbook, known as the ClutchBet site, to their sports fans. BlueBet is currently the 18th sports wagering operator. BlueBet got into a contract with the Dubuque Racing Association. They were given the option to renew the contract for five more years. Therefore, bettors can access the Iowa sports app and the Q Casino in Dubuque.