Sometimes the surprising things turn out to be the best.
That’s been the case for Iowa since they legalized sports betting in 2019. They have turned into one of the most robust markets in the country. There was a long history of gambling in the state, but some thought legalizing sports betting would be a longshot. Governor Kim Reynolds officially signed Senate File 617 to make it happen.
One of the smallest legalized states, Des Moines is the biggest city with around 210,000 people. There are no major professional sports teams in IA. The four Division 1 sports teams geta lot of the attention. Iowa and Iowa State are the major brands with Drake and Northern Iowa have major local support.
The Hawkeye state is extremely passionate about sports. Whether it’s their local team or a team from another state, the appetite for sports has made this smaller state a fertile spot for sportsbooks and gamblers. Now if only they could find a way for Iowans to bet on cornhole!
Yes, gambling is legal in Iowa. Governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 617 into law in 2019. This gave the operating casinos the ability to take legal sports wagers inside their brick-and-mortar locations. However, Iowa became one of the first states to launch in person and mobile wagering on the same day. August 15th, 2019, was when the first legal sports bets were booked.
There are currently around 19 retail casino locations in IA that have operational sportsbooks. One of the more operator friendly states, Iowa also has roughly 16 different online sportsbooks operating as well.