Iowa Poker Sites
Iowa has similar gambling laws as Indiana and Illinois, in the fact that they encompass the whole idea of gambling, and not make so much of a distinction between game of chance and games of skill. Iowa simply defines gambling as:
725.7 Gaming and betting — penalty.
1. Except as permitted in chapters 99B [bingo] and 99D [racetracks], a person shall not do any of the following:
a. Participate in a game for any sum of money or other property of any value.
b. Make any bet.
c. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.
d. For a fee, deliver anything of value which has been received outside the enclosure of a racetrack licensed under chapter 99D to be placed as wagers in the pari-mutuel pool or other authorized systems of wagering.
e. Engage in bookmaking.
This statute is very broad, and deals with the act of wagering, instead of deciding which types of games are illegal and which are not.
Gambling Allowed in Iowa
- Residents in Iowa won't find online poker sites that are based in the state though to play. That's because they are banned under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. In terms of how this affect you, the online poker play in Iowa, it's a bit different.
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Iowa is pretty much an open state when it comes to regulated gambling. They do allow several different forms of gambling as long as they adhere to the law. Iowa has a state-run lottery, and also allows pari-mutuel gambling on horse and dog races. Included in this are licensed commercial and Indian (Native American) casinos. At most of the racetracks, a few casino-style games are available for play.
Iowa does not really allow social gambling as a whole, but they do have one exception to that rule. As long as the participants do not lose or win more than $50 within 24-hours, there are no issues. However, gambling events rarely stop at a max limit of $50, which what causes the difficulties with social gambling.
On recommended poker sites, you’ll find an overwhelming variety of poker games, stretching from the ever-popular Texas Hold’em to Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Draw Poker. You’ll come across an equally impressive diversity in terms of the number of tournaments and cash games on offer.
Online Poker Law
Ohio Poker Sites
Iowa does not allow anyone to operate or gamble on an online casino, or poker room inside, and even outside of the state. According to,
725.7 Gaming and betting — penalty.
1. Except as permitted in chapters 99B [bingo] and 99D [racetracks], a person shall not do any of the following:
c. For a fee, directly or indirectly, give or accept anything of value to be wagered or to be transmitted or delivered for a wager to be placed within or without the state of Iowa.
Iowa Poker Tournaments
This part of the statute makes it clear that it does not matter how an individual gambles, if they gamble they are inherently breaking the law, regardless of the medium in which they accomplish the task. This could be construed as being part of the online gambling scene, even though they do not explicitly state it, and even though raids or penalties on online poker players has yet to be heard or seen in over a decade of online poker being available to us all – but we are not lawyers and can’t say much else from what is the fact.
Land Based Casinos and Tribal Stances
Iowa has both commercial and tribal casinos, which have to be licensed and regulated. They have more commercial casinos than tribal, as there are fewer tribes in the state. Most casinos, if they want to be allowed to use Class III games like poker and blackjack, have to be attached to a racetrack. The main Tribal casinos in Iowa are operated by the Winnebago, Sac & Fox, and Omaha tribes. As Iowa is a state where they allow both commercial and tribal casinos to operate, there have been some conflicts regarding laws.
Regarding online gambling, there should be no problem between the commercial and tribal casinos, as they each have a fair opportunity to jump on that bandwagon if it ever does get legalized and regulated.
State Regulated Online Poker
Estimated Date of Legalized Online Poker in Iowa: 2017-2018
Iowa is certainly one of the few states that have shown immense progress when it comes to regulating gambling, as it started with riverboat casinos and has now expanded that into casinos and racetracks. So, as far as Iowa regulating and running online poker sites, it is certainly a possibility. All that needs to happen is for that bill to pass, like in many other US states nowadays.
Online Lotteries
Iowa started their lottery in 1985, with their first instant scratch game “Scratch Match and Win”. Iowa uses the revenue gained from the selling of these tickets for social programs like the Veteran Fund. The lottery tickets can only be purchased through retailers, as they have not adopted the online ticket sales yet.
Online Poker Sites
It is clear that Iowa does not endorse or allow unregulated gambling, and that includes poker. However, the debate is whether or not online poker is under those laws. As of yet, there have been little to no problems between online poker players and the state, so it is safe to say that there is minimal risk for those that want to play on U.S. friendly poker sites like BetOnline and Ignition poker.
- »Is Online Poker Legal in the USA?
2020 Update: Can I Play Online Poker in Iowa
Iowa was an early proponent for online poker, but it died back in 2012. While the state still hasn’t regulated online poker, it did legalize and launch sports betting in 2019. The legalization took place in May and it went live in August. This is faster than most states who passed the laws in their books. You can bet in the state’s 19 casinos or on your phone as long as you’re within state lines. You will have to go register in-person and be at least 21 to start gambling online.
Iowans embraced sports betting and the 6.75% tax is giving the state some much-needed revenue. The state has accepted gaming throughout its history, but there’s currently no bill or concerted effort to legalize online poker. We’ll see if that changes with the advent of sports betting.
What are the Gambling Laws in Iowa
Iowa is one of the few states that allows nearly every type of gambling offered in the United States. From tribal riverboat casinos to racetracks, to online gaming and sports betting, Iowa has it all. Gambling in Iowa is regulated under Iowa Code 99 and Iowa Code 725.5.
For legal purposes, gambling in the state is defined by “participating in a game for anything of value.” It also includes “making any bet” as gaming or betting that could be subject to penalty or regulation.
This differs from lots of different states because it doesn’t involve the word “chance.” Lots of states include the word “chance” when defining gambling. That also gives poker an easy path to legalization since it’s been deemed a skill at the federal level. You can play poker in Iowa casinos, so we’ll see if they extend that online.
Can I Play on PokerStars in Iowa?
There’s no PokerStars in Iowa right now. Back in the day it was possible, but it’s since been relegated to a few states after being kicked out entirely. There very well might be a day where you can fire up a game of PokerStars in Iowa again, but for the moment, PokerStars in the US is limited to New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
There was a lot of love for PokerStars in the US, mostly because of its game offerings and software. Luckily, there are a ton of PokerStars alternatives available to players in Iowa. So you can still play online poker in Iowa. If you’re looking for a few good options, we recommend sites like Ignition Poker and BetOnline. These sites accept players from all 50 states in the US. For full reviews of these sites and more, just click below.
Legal Gambling in Iowa
There are tons of options for Iowans who want to gamble in the state. Lots of casinos in this tiny state and now players can even sports bet from the comfort of their own homes. There are race tracks in the state too, pretty much everything except for online poker. We’ll go over some of the state’s offerings.
Casinos
In 1989, Iowa became the first state in the United States to legalize riverboat gaming. The casinos were incredibly popular and then land-based casinos started spreading around the state. There are now 20 land-based casinos in the state, four of which are run by Native American tribes. Lots of these casinos offer poker for Iowa residents.
There is a maximum 22% tax-rate on gross gambling revenue at riverboats and land-based casinos. Casinos in Iowa collectively pay over $331 million in gaming taxes to the state and over $392 million in state corporate taxes. The state’s casinos bring in 22 million visitors annually, two-thirds coming from out of state. The casinos have invested over $15 billion into their casinos over the past 20+ years.
Horse Tracks and Pari-Mutuel Betting
Horse racing has been around Iowa for decades and is regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. In 1994, they began allowing its racetracks to install slot machines. As of 2005, racetracks started offering table games too.
Currently, there’s only one race track in Iowa, the Prairie Meadows in Altoona. Horses have been running on the track since 1989 and about 2.7 million people visit the track annually. The state also offers parimutuel betting, so that’s an option if you’re going to be at Prairie Meadows. There’s a 24% tax-rate at racetracks with slots and table games with revenues exceeding $100 million.
Iowa’s State Lottery and Charitable Gaming
Iowa’s lottery started in April of 1985. The profits have gone to a number of different things. First they went to long-term development programs. Then they went to environmental and cultural programs. Then they switched to a veterans and public health fund. In 2018, the lottery generated $87.1 million in revenue.
The Iowa lottery offers Mega Millions, Powerball and lotto America. There are also instant-scratch tickets and are sold in 2,400 locations. If that’s not convenient enough, there are also some online options for the lottery.
Specific State-by-State Laws
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