The 26th-largest state in America, admitted to the United States in 1846, is located in the American Midwest, bordering six states and two rivers — Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin to the north-east, Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, Nebraska to the west, and South Dakota to the north-west, while the Missouri River and Big Sioux encompasses eastern and western edges of the state, respectively.
Iowa is frequently mentioned in the context of farming although agriculture contributes less to the state’s economy than advanced manufacturing, bioscience, finance and insurance, government services, value-added food production, distribution, warehousing, and renewable energy industry — all of which amounted to a state gross product of $190.15 billion in 2018.
The Hawkeye State has a long-standing relationship with legalized forms of gambling.
In 1972, constitutional state lottery prohibition was repealed. Bingo and raffle followed suit in 1973, pari-mutuel wagering at horse/dog racetracks in 1983, riverboat gambling in 1989 — Iowa was the first state to regulate boat casinos — while slots devices were allowed at racetracks in 1994.
Several legislative attempts have been made to comprehensively regulated online gambling, but nothing has been enacted yet within the market.
However…
…in May 2019, Iowa became the third state in America to legalize land-based and interactive sports betting. Wagering operations of licensed operators begun in September.
Legal Framework
Iowa State Code provides regulations’ foundations for any type of gambling available to residents and non-residents.
To that effect, fifteen riverboats plus one land-based and three racetrack casinos commercially operate offering slot machines, table games, gaming devices, charitable gambling, and sports wagering.
Interestingly…
The first bill to legalize all forms of sports betting (HSB592) has been introduced three months before the SCOTUS repealed the PASPA in 2018. Envisioned as a just-in-case measure, it has been passed by the Senate as SF617 and signed into law by Governor Kimberly Reynolds (R) next year.
The age limitation in Iowa is 21 for any type of gambling.
All gambling winnings are fully taxable to a 5% income tax, plus the 1% local sales tax. Operators are taxed at a graduated rate from 5% up to 22% gross gaming revenue for riverboat casinos, and up to 24% at racetracks and racinos with gaming revenue over $100 million per year.
Gambling tax funds — over $6 billion since 1991, all gaming included — are appropriated by the Iowa General Assembly toward “a variety of visionary purposes,” which includes “the environment, county endowments, job creation, revenue bonds, and more.”
All surpluses from State Lottery go to veterans’ support, general funds, and Enhance Iowa program (established to fund infrastructure projects related to recreation, public education, tourism, entertainment, and culture).
Licensing
There are several gambling regulatory bodies in the Hawkeye State: Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, Iowa Gaming Association, and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA).
The variety of regulators is the outcome of the prevailing social climate which intertwines highly-regulated gambling market revenues with economic contributions to the state growth and charity purposes.
Thus, Iowa DIA is in charge of operators’ licensing via thoroughly conceived and regulated qualifying process.
Depending on the type of games and purpose of operations, permits might be issued to a period of 14-days up to two years. Six different types of licenses define the frequency of games that an operator may conduct and costs between $50 and $150 each.
Short of customary administrative and business overview, background checks, and property inspections, aspiring operators must ensure the DIA that gaming will not include “any control device to permit manipulation of the gambling activity by the operator [to] prevent [a] player from winning or to predetermine who the winner shall be.”
Operators are also obliged to conduct gambling fairly and honestly, while rules of games must be displayed at all times.
But…
…when it comes to the electronic or mechanical gaming devices employed at casinos, racetracks, and premises that require liquor permits, the situation is rather different.
Annual registration fees for any manufacturer or distributor are $5,000 and $2,000 respectively — per device. The DIA issues registration tags valid for one year.
Any alteration, adaptation, or replacement change in the operational characteristics of the device requires a new registration tag and fee. An operator cannot relocate a tagged device and the overall number of device permits is capped at 6,928.
The DIA is also in charge of inspection of operations and revocation of all licenses regardless of the type.
The Iowa Gaming Association (IGA), on the other hand, is a non-profit organization in charge of educating the public about the positive economic impact of gambling, advocating programs and public awareness initiatives, conducting industry research to help players make well-informed decisions, and to keep the whole ecosystem in line with state and federal legislation.
The IGA also releases annual statements of the economic impact of gambling.
In 2018, the industry employed 8,800 people while only the casinos generated $1 billion in salaries, purchases of state-based products and services, charitable contribution and taxes.
Finally, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) runs all operations of racetracks similarly to the IGA.
Players’ Protection
Not surprisingly, such a gambling environment provides players with a multi-layered system of protection.
The DIA operates investigative and enforcement divisions in charge of patrons’ grievances, in addition to monitoring gambling advertising that is not allowed promoting anything other than a type of game or device.
Short of educational programs, the IGA also cooperates with the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program which contracts state agencies in eleven regions of Iowa. Services include targeted prevention and education, outpatient and financial counseling, and statewide 1-800 helpline.
Since 2004, Iowa runs a self-exclusion program that was thoroughly reformed by the state bill in 2017.
Players can voluntary enter either the 5-year or lifetime ban, the latter being irrevocable. The Exclusion Form, available online, is distributed to all casinos — except the three on tribal lands — and the signee forfeits all winnings to the State of Iowa General Fund if discovered at a casino.
Since 2018, the IRGC manages the self-exclusion database.
Final Notes
As one of the more progressive states in America, Iowa runs rather mature statewide gambling operations that are yet another testimonial on the benefits of a well-regulated and legalized gaming market to the economic prosperity of social communities.
Hopefully, in time, online gambling will become part of this puzzle, particularly since offshore operators accept Iowa players while the technology enables for myriad opportunities to govern iGaming responsibly (in addition to the system already in place).
Regardless of the venue, though, we wish you good luck when gambling in Iowa and hope that you will, as always, be careful, responsible, and stay within the limits of your budget. Have a good one!
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