The state of Iowa only went live with its sports betting industry last month, but already it is clear that it was an excellent move. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission published the first monthly report pertaining to sports betting, although in practice the report only covers 17 days. According to the gambling authority, bettors wagered $8.5 million in that time span, yielding $2.2 million for bookmakers.
On August 15th, the IRGC did a tandem launch of brick-and-mortar and online sports betting in the state, just 94 days after Governor Kim Reynolds enabled the legislation. This was the first state to do a launch of both industries on the same day. Bettors are, for the moment, required to do an initial visit to a land-casino in order to register, before they can wager online. However, any subsequent wager online can be done without registration.
Iowa became the 11th state to introduce legal sports betting, and the 5th state to offer mobile betting.
The well-established William Hill and the brand new Elite sportsbooks currently offer mobile betting in Iowa. Combined, their win from internet bettors was $424,129. Market analysts believe that, while it may take some time, Iowa’s sports betting industry will eventually follow in the footsteps of New Jersey, to show a majority of mobile bettors.
