Iowa Sports Betting Handle Rises to $185.5 Million in August

Iowa's licensed casinos and sports betting operators generated nearly $27.9 million in combined state tax revenue for August, according to figures released by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

Monthly sports wagering handle rose to $185.5 million, up roughly $4 million, or 2.1%, year-over-year, and up 1.4% from July's $182.9 million. 

Sports wagering revenue, however, was reported at $17.1 million, a 22.4% decrease from a year earlier, while state taxes on sports wagering fell 22.1% to $1.15 million over the same period.

As of August, 19 state-licensed casinos are operating in Iowa, with 10 state-licensed entities offering online sports betting. 

The commission publishes detailed revenue statistics for each casino and sports betting operator on its website.

Iowa legalised sports betting in May 2019, becoming the 11th state in the country and the first in the Midwest to do so, with the first legal wagers placed at Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona on August 15, 2019. 

The original law required bettors to register in person at a licensed casino before wagering online; that requirement was dropped on January 1, 2021, allowing residents anywhere in the state to sign up and bet from a mobile device for the first time.

DraftKings and FanDuel remain the state's largest mobile operators, licensed by Iowa's racetrack casinos, alongside sportsbooks such as BetMGM and Caesars. 

Iowa has not legalised online casinos; commercial gambling in the state is regulated under Iowa Code Chapter 99F, which covers excursion gambling boats, land-based casinos and sports wagering but does not extend to internet slots, blackjack or table games. 

Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2289 in 2026, giving the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission new cease-and-desist powers over unlicensed sweepstakes-style and offshore gambling platforms.

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Iowa's monthly sports betting handle has fluctuated with the sporting calendar throughout 2025 and 2026, ranging from lows near $147 million in the summer to highs above $320 million during football season, when NFL and NCAA action typically drive the state's biggest betting months. 

October and November 2025 each set state records at the time, with $320.9 million and $321.0 million wagered, respectively; online wagering has consistently accounted for more than 90% of the state's total handle, with retail sportsbooks making up the remainder. 

DraftKings has been the state's leading operator by volume, becoming the first Iowa sportsbook to top $100 million in a single month's handle, followed by FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM.

Iowa's commercial casinos and sportsbooks are overseen by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which publishes monthly revenue figures broken down by individual property and mobile operator. 

The state's licensed casino count has held steady at 19 properties in recent years, spanning riverboat casinos, land-based venues and pari-mutuel racetrack casinos, several of which also serve as the required in-state licensing partner for the national mobile sportsbook brands operating in Iowa.