Gambling in Iowa
The US State of Iowa has a number of casinos, but the legislature’s approach to online gaming remains complex. Here we will guide you through the rules and explain how to enjoy gambling in the Hawkeye state.
Best Cities for Gambling in Iowa
Looking for a gambling city in Iowa? Well, let’s take a look at a few and the casinos on offer there.
The three biggest casinos in Iowa with slot machines are the Prairie Meadows, Horseshoe Council Bluffs and the Meskwaki Casino Hotel. The Prairie Meadows is a Racino in Des Moines with a gaming floor measuring over 81,000 sq ft. It offers 1700 slots, 44 table games and 11 poker tables. Horseshoe Council Bluffs, run by Caesars, is not far behind in terms of size and has more table games and poker tables.
The Meskwaki is owned by the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi. The casino floor is huge, but there are fewer table games and poker tables than its competitors.
We should also mention the Ameristar in Council Bluffs - probably the major casino city in Iowa. This fantastic stationary river boat casino hotel is berthed on the Missouri river. Slots are the name of the game here, although there are some table games but no poker tables.
State of Online Gambling in Iowa
Is online gambling legal in Iowa? The simple answer is no, but the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling enshrines the right of any state to make their own legislation covering this activity. When we come to looking at the possibility of the state changing their rules, it is worth noting when it comes to sports betting Iowa amended the online betting rules in 2019.
Given the financial boost gaming has given to the state in recent years it is not beyond the realms of possibility that so far as legalizing online gambling Iowa may be the next state in line to look at legislation. At the moment, if you are looking for a real money online casino Iowa may not be the place to begin, but keep an eye on what is happening in the state and changes could be on the way.
There are also plenty of sites offering legal sports betting Iowa, and the state also has social casinos where no deposit is required, and players play with tokens.
Casino Games in Iowa
Visitors to the 20 plus casinos in Iowa will find plenty of games on offer once they step through the doors. Slots, naturally, are dominant in most of the casinos, but many have access to all the table games you would expect to find at a top gambling venue. These include roulette, dice games, blackjack and plenty of your poker favorites such as pai gow, three-card poker and cajun stud. Players can also take part in poker tournaments in the state.
You can also find sports betting booths in many casinos as well as lottery games and bingo.
Online Poker
Since there has been no great push for legal online casinos in the state, online poker remains illegal. Some experts on the gaming industry believe that as legal sports betting begins to take hold in the state and the legislature recognizes the financial benefits of the taxes raised through it there may be a change of mind.
Iowa has shown itself to be quite adaptable and welcoming to regulated gaming over the past two decades, and do not be surprised if industry campaigns for legalized sites are not resisted too strongly.
Online Betting
Since January 2021 anyone over 21 years of age can visit an online sports book and place bets within state boundaries. Given most other forms of online betting remain illegal players may be surprised to know that there are other online betting options. Horse racing is the most popular alternative, but you can also wager on fantasy sports.
Top Gambling Cities in Iowa
Located in Pottawattamie County, Council Bluffs sits on the east bank of the Missouri river and is the county seat. Given its location it was an important hub when it came to railroads and river transport. In recent years it has become known for its casinos, which include a variety of options, from a riverboat to tribal casino and two commercial outlets. These are the Ameristar, the Prairie Flower, Harrah’s and the Horseshoe.
Visitors to the Hawkeye state should not miss the historic city of Davenport on the Mississippi at the eastern side of the state. It is the largest of the Quad Cities, which make up a metropolitan area with a population of almost 400,000. The city is host to Rhythm City Casino Resort, which opened in 2000 and is owned by Elite Casino Resorts.
If you are visiting the east of the state, you will also find three more casinos close to Davenport: the Catfish Bend in Burlington, the Riverside Casino and Golf resort and the Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Clinton.
Des Moines and Sioux City are two other cities which visitors to Iowa often have on their list of places to visit, and in both you will find a top-notch casino. Prairies Meadows is a well-known Racino in Altoona, Des Moines, and has been operating since 1989. If you are in the city, you are within striking distance of the Lakeside Hotel Casino in Osceola and the Native American Meskwaki casino in Tama.
Meanwhile, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has been thrilling visitors with a great gaming floor and live entertainment since 2014. Again, you can try out a golf and gaming offer close by at the Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort or try tribal outlet by visiting the Blackbird Bend casino in Onawa.
Tribal Gaming in Iowa
There is a very straightforward way to implement compacts and agreements between Native American Tribes and the State of Iowa already in place in the Hawkeye State. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is in place, and any compacts are governed by this piece of legislation, which lays out the policies and aims for any such agreement.
In 1992 three gaming agreements were negotiated, and these paved the way for casinos to open in Iowa. A fourth compact came into play in 2020.
From neighboring Nebraska, the Winnebago Tribe were allowed to open the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan. It has a 45,000 sq ft floor with 800 slots alongside table and poker games.
Just a few months later the Omaha Tribe opened their CasinoOmaha, and this was renamed as the Blackbird Bend Casino in 2013. Slots are the main attraction here.
The final casino to open under the original compact was the Meskwaki Bingo and Casino close to Tama. The 127,669 sq ft gaming floor has over 1300 slots and 34 table games. The 402-room hotel welcomes visitors, and there are six restaurants on site. The latest tribal casino to open its doors was the Prairie Flower casino in the hands of the Ponca Tribe in Carter Lake. The 200 slots are the main attraction, and just one restaurant is available.
