Iowa Casino – Casino Games & Gambling

The Iowa casino selection displays the full diversity of gambling locations, including state-licensed, tribal-owned, racinos, and riverboat casinos. Locals and visitors of the state can also enjoy sports betting, poker, bingo, lottery, and a line of legal gambling options. Read on to learn where to gamble in a licensed and safe environment.

Cards, dice, and casino ship

In terms of gambling, Iowa is not the first state that comes to mind. However, if you wish to try every wagering game in a legal gambling establishment, visit the Hawkeye State. This blog post holds information about the gambling locations (including every riverboat and Indian casino in Iowa) you can play at. At the end, we also added answers to interesting gambling-related questions.

Gambling Laws & Legal Games in IA, USA

Most players head to an Iowa casino and enjoy the gaming experience. For everyone else curious to learn more about the wagering options and legal games, we have prepared a brief introduction of the IA gambling laws and regulations. Here are the essentials you need to know:

🗺 State 🦅 Iowa
⚖️ Laws USA Gambling Laws, Iowa Gambling Laws, Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act, Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
💼 Regulator Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, National Indian Gaming Commission, Iowa Department of Revenue (Lottery)
🥳 Legal Gambling All casino games (slots, table games, electronic table games, etc.), PvP poker, Sports betting (all forms), Horse races (pari-mutuel wagering), Games of chance (lottery, bingo, raffles, scratch cards), Charity & social gaming
🚓 Illegal Gambling Dog & greyhound races, Animal fighting competitions
🕶️ Not Regulated Online gambling, eSports, DFS (daily fantasy sports)
🎂 Legal Gambling Age 18 for bingo, 21 for all other wagering games
💸 Winners Tax No tax for prizes under $600, 5% State income tax for prizes over $600, 5% State income tax+ 25% Federal tax for prizes over $5,000

The laws and regulations listed above apply to all Iowa casino hotels, racinos, casinos, and other locations with wagering games. Every new casino in Iowa must acquire the necessary government gambling licenses and meet the requirements of a safe wagering location. You won’t find a local online casino in Iowa, and we will explain why in the last part of the article.

Brick-and-Mortar Casinos in Iowa

Finding a casino in Iowa is easy, but that has not always been the case. Anyone familiar with the history of gambling in the USA knows that for a long time, all forms of betting were illegal. This also applied to Iowa until the most popular gambling games were gradually legalized over the last 50 years.

State-Licensed Casino hotels in Iowa, USA

Roulette wheel winning number seventeen

Anyone looking for an Iowa casino will find 23 licensed gambling locations in the state. However, if you wish to combine rest and wagering games like it is done at the best land-based casinos in the USA, you should visit either one of the 19 state-licensed casinos:

  • Argosy Casino (Sioux City)
  • Catfish Bend Casino (Burlington)
  • Diamond Jo Casino (Dubuque and Northwood)
  • Grand Falls Casino (Larchwood)
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City (Sioux City)
  • Harrah’s Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs)
  • Horseshoe Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs)
  • Isle Casino (Bettendorf and Waterloo)
  • Lakeside Hotel Casino (Osceola)
  • Rhythm City Casino Resort (Davenport)
  • Riverside Casino & Golf Resort (Riverside)
  • Wild Rose Casino & Resort (Clinton, Emmetsburg, and Jefferson)

Each of those brick-and-mortar gambling sites offers slot machines, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps, and electronic games. Many locations even have poker rooms, bingo halls, and even lottery kiosks. If you intend to play at a casino in Iowa, keep in mind that the legal gambling age in the USA applies in all of them, so you must be 21 to enter and play.

Tribal Casinos in the Hawkeye State

Dreamcatcher at sunset

Anyone wishing to experience more than a standard gambling location in Iowa should head to one of the four tribal-owned establishmentss. They rival the best Native American casinos and allow players to enjoy a variety of wagering games and excellent hospitality. Here are the land-based Indian casinos perfect for your next vacation:

  • 🦅 Blackbird Bend Casino (Owned by the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska)
  • 🦅 Meskwaki Casino (Owned by the Sac & Fox Tribe of Mississippi in Iowa)
  • 🦅 Prairie Flower Casino (Owned by the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska)
  • 🦅 Winna Vegas Casino Resort (Owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska)

Every Iowa tribe casino is unique in terms of beautiful nature and outdoor activities. However, they all offer comfortable accommodations and a top-quality gambling experience. If a casino in Iowa with a hotel is not exciting enough, then check the next section of this blog post, where we will describe the riverboat casinos.

Iowa’s Riverboat Casinos

Riverboat casino at sunset

The most memorable gambling trips are made via the USA’s top riverboat casinos. You may not know this, but in 1989, Iowa became the first USA state that legalized riverboat casinos. Below you will find a list of Iowa casino hotels with riverboat casinos in Iowa:

  • 🚢 Ameristar Casino Council Bluffs (docked)
  • 🚢 Casino Queen Marquette (docked)
  • 🚢 Lakeside Hotel & Casino (docked)
  • 🚢 Mississippi Belle II (docked

Another popular Iowa riverboat casino from the past is the Argosy Casino Sioux City, which closed in 2014. This destination may not be available anymore, but there are more than enough other Iowa casino hotels to pick from. If you would like to diversify your wagering experience, check the next section of the blog post.

Other Gambling Locations in Iowa, USA

Horse running on racetrack

The casino hotels in Iowa may have a diversity of table games and slot machines, but in a state where all forms of gambling are legal, there are more betting and gambling land-based locations.

Racinos in the Hawkeye State

The racino is an interesting venue, combining casino games and horse race wagering. Fans of thoroughbred and quarter-horse races can visit Q Casino and Hotel or Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel. Those destinations offer simulcast and live races of the best horses, like the ones that inspired the greatest horse racing movies.

PvP Poker & Poker Rooms in IA, USA

Four aces, cigar, and cognac

Almost every casino in Iowa has tables and electronic games where players can enjoy poker variations against the casino. The top-ranking ones also offer a PvP poker room and tournaments for anyone who wishes to test their skills against other poker players. Here are the most popular locations for serious poker players.

  • ♠️ Catfish Bend Casino (Burlington, IA)
  • ♠️ Grand Falls Casino Resort (Larchwood, IA)
  • ♠️ Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs, IA)
  • ♠️ Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino (Altoona, IA)
  • ♠️ Riverside Casino (Riverside, IA)

Regardless of which casino poker room you choose, you can enter cash games and tournaments. Brush off your Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud poker skills because the variations of those games are most frequently played. If you wish to feel like a pro player, visit the best casino, for the occasion, Iowa Horseshoe, which has one of the biggest poker rooms (15+ tables).

Iowa’s Games of Chance & Charity Gaming

Even the Iowa casino hotels with the biggest casinos offer number-based games of chance. You can find many kiosks and retail locations selling lottery tickets and various scratch cards. There are also many bingo rooms with RNG (Random Number Generator) or the classic ball shuffler. Since those are among the most popular betting entertainments, there are always interesting rewards and surprises for players.

If the players and participants don’t break the law, all forms of social and charity gambling in the Hawkeye State are legal. This means that you can make a bet with your friend, play raffles, bingo, lotto, electronic games, and more. Since charity gambling is also legal, many charitable or religious organizations, citizens, and even the best Iowa casinos organize casino nights or raffles. Still, the best US online casinos aren’t allowed in the state.

FAQ

If you wish to visit an Iowa casino on your next vacation but can’t decide which one is the perfect one for you, check the answers to several interesting questions below. The brief answers hold links to the relevant sections of this blog post, where you can find more information.

*️⃣ Are there legal casinos in Iowa, USA?

According to the Iowa gambling laws, only licensed operators can offer wagering games. That is why every Iowa casino has an Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission license. The licensed locations are casinos, racinos, Native American casinos, and riverboat casinos. The games range from slots and table games to sports betting, horse races, and poker rooms.

*️⃣ Which is the best brick-and-mortar casino in Iowa?

There are many licensed brick-and-mortar casinos in Iowa, and they all dazzle with exciting gambling and wagering games. The player's preferences are also essential when picking the top spot. Overall, the best land-based casino has slots, table games, PvP poker, sportsbook, bingo room, and a lotto kiosk with scratch cards.

*️⃣ Do casinos in IA, USA offer sports betting?

If the wagering games at the Iowa casino hotels are not enough, then try the other gambling options. Visitors and locals of the Hawkeye State can try sports betting, racinos, PvP poker, lottery, bingo, keno, and scratch cards. Many brick-and-mortar casinos in the state have great sportsbooks and horse race betting available to all visitors above the legal age.

*️⃣ Are there tribal casinos in Iowa, USA?

At the moment of writing this blog post, there are four tribal-owned casino hotels in Iowa. Each of the Native American casinos offers a unique gambling experience to players above the legal gambling age. Alongside the interesting wagering options, you can enjoy comfortable accommodations, tasty foods, and diverse indoor and outdoor entertainment.

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