Iowa first legalized sports betting in May 2019, and both retail and online betting was available in August of that year. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission oversees and regulates the sports betting industry, and there have been several changes to sports betting laws since they were initially created.
Iowa struggled to see much growth in its sports betting industry through 2020, but one rule was holding the market back. In-person registration was required when signing up for an online account, and that kept mobile betting to a minimum.
Now that remote registration is available, Iowa has started 2021 off strong, setting new monthly records for both total betting handle and sports betting revenue. The Midwest portion of the United States has seen a ton of growth since 2018, and that will continue into 2021 and beyond. See all Free Bets & Risk Free Bets
Iowa Retail Locations
There are 19 commercial casinos currently in the state of Iowa, and all of these properties were allowed to offer in-person sports betting. Nearly all 19 properties have launched a sportsbook of some kind as of March 2021, giving bettors in the state plenty of retail sports betting options to choose from.
These casino properties had to partner with a sports betting company before offering sports betting, and several properties use the same provider.
Here are some of the top casinos in Iowa that offer retail sports betting opportunities:
Iowa Online Sportsbook Apps
Online sports betting really took off in 2021 as remote registration was now available. This meant that sportsbooks could now acquire new customers without them first having to visit the casino property.
Here are some of the top online sportsbook apps available in the state of Iowa in 2021:
- Betfred
- BetMGM
- BetRivers
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBet
- theScoreBet
- William Hill
- Bluebet
- Caesars Sportsbook
This list is expected to grow in the coming months, especially as all Iowa casino properties can have access that three sports betting skins as opposed to just two.
Popular Teams in Iowa
Iowa is not home to any major professional sports teams, but this is still a state that loves sports. Being in the Midwest portion of the country gives sports fans from the state plenty of teams to choose from in each sport.
The National Football League is the most popular sport in the United States, and the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs are two of the fan-favorites in the Hawkeye State. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs are extremely popular with baseball fans in Iowa.
Iowa state law also allows for bettors to place on collegiate sporting events. The Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones are the two most popular betting options in the state. College football and college basketball are very popular sports to bet on throughout Iowa and the US in general.