Iowa Online Casinos

Iowa has no online casinos for real money and, admittedly, this has been an issue for players who have explored offshore websites instead. Can those operate in the Hawkeye State? As it turns out, yes. Iowa real money online casinos are available if you are willing to play at websites that are not overseen by a state authority.

This usually introduces several issues for players, not only with their personal and financial data but also with whether payments will be honored in the first place. Still, mounting interest in offshore casino sites for real money in Iowa has indicated that there is indeed demand, which begs the question – when is the state going to pull the trigger and introduce online casinos of its own?

There has been no legal update just yet so far in 2024, but an attempt to pass online casino legislation in 2023 came a cropper. Still, momentum is building up quickly and a fully regulated online casino market in Iowa is not entirely out of the question. In fact, under pressure from other jurisdictions, and recently Rhode Island, matters are indeed looking up for potential Iowa casino sites.

Best Iowa Online Casinos

Right, to find the best online casinos in Iowa, you first need to understand that there are no regulated casinos that hold a license in the state. Yes, it’s true that the casinos you visit may hold licenses from other jurisdictions, or be reputable, but they are still not permitted to operate in the state in theory.

Regardless, many real money online casinos in Indiana take advantage of the somewhat lax response from the government and continue to cater to the local market. This has created a demand for real money sites that can be trusted. Offshore websites are often criticized for a number of reasons.

Players may lose financial or personal data by registering at a bad one for starters. Payments are often difficult to manage because you can’t simply use a debit or credit card or at least not as easily. There are additional charges, and some casinos will mostly ask you to use crypto to avoid some of these unpleasantries.

Overall, offshore casinos, apart from not having a license, are often not as easy for players to enjoy in earnest. Despite these difficulties, some brands do cut a nice overall experience, and they are viable picks when looking to play for real money.

To save yourself the trouble of running into bad casinos, we have extensively reviewed the best real money Iowa brands and brought them for you in a table.

Are Online Casinos Legal in Iowa?

No, online casinos are not legal in Iowa. The only ones you can play “legally” are social and sweepstakes casinos which are only possible because they operate without the exchange of real money. The law so far prohibits online casino sites from operating in the Hawkeye State.

There are no laws that would directly punish players for simply participating at such a website, but it’s still a good idea to be aware of the possibility. As to running an online casino business in the state, this is completely off-limits.

The state does have a good tradition in gambling though, featuring activities such as lottery, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, sweepstakes and social casinos, and horse racing betting.

How to Pick an Online Casino in Iowa

Picking an online casino in Iowa is pretty much a subject of checking several important factors. If they check out, you won’t have any issue with finding a real money casino site that is suitable for your needs. Here is what we would normally recommend players to keep an eye out for, and what we definitely check for ourselves.

Customer Support

Customer support will always be an important part of a casino’s offer. The agents may not be something you will need every day or even every month, but once you do – it’s good to know that the online casino you have spent so much time and money on is actually equipped with the tools to meet customer needs. Good customer support is an absolute must.

Payment and Banking

Payments are yet another thing to be aware of. For a casino to be worthwhile, it will need to provide a robust payment system. Offshore casinos in Iowa are faced with some difficulties when it comes to facilitating payments. This is why it’s important to only pick those that actually deliver payments on a specific time frame and do so reliably.

Bonuses and Promotions

This is another important factor to help you pick a great online casino for real money in Iowa. Bonuses are basically a great way to increase your bankroll and see more of a casino. However, you ought to only pick those bonuses that come with fair terms and conditions and make it easy for players to find their way through the wagering requirements easily.

Games and Software

Although payments clearly play a bigger role in the overall choice of a casino, you still need to have sufficient game genres and even popular titles to catch your interest. This is why we thoroughly review the available games and software and recommend only those websites in Iowa that provide you with enough opportunities to play slots, jackpots, and live dealer games.

Reputation and Licenses

Because of the nature of online casinos for real money in Iowa, licenses will never be issued by the state. In other words, if a casino claims that it’s “legit” you may want to steer clear of it. A more important factor given the circumstances is what other players say about a particular gaming brand.

Mobile California Casinos

Mobile casinos are available in Iowa. These websites are again based offshore, but they run without any faults on HTML5 software and across Android and iOS devices. Players will have the opportunity to explore these sites directly from the palm of their hand and on the go. In fact, many of these online casinos are available across state borders, which is one of the biggest advantages of the websites as such.

Iowa Casino Apps

Casino apps in Iowa are not really a thing, as there are no licensed online casinos for real money. If you insist on downloading a casino app, though, you could probably try the social and sweepstake casino apps instead.

Land-Based Casinos in Iowa 

Land-based casinos in Iowa are a thing, and there are different properties you can visit and play in person. Players who are keen to try land-based gaming will be able to do so at 23 casinos, which include commercial and tribal gaming properties. You can find some of the most prominent ones below.

Casino	Address	Contact
Riverside Casino & Golf Resort	3184 IA-22, Riverside, IA 52327, United States	+1 319-648-1234
Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel	1 Prairie Meadows Dr, Altoona, IA 50009, United States	+1 515-967-1000
Diamond Jo Worth Casino	777 Diamond Jo Ln, Northwood, IA 50459, United States	+1 877-323-5566
Rhythm City Casino Resort	7077 Elmore Avenue, Davenport, IA 52807, United States	+1 563-328-8000
Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel	1504 305th St, Tama, IA 52339, United States	+1 641-484-2108
Diamond Jo Casino Dubuque	301 Bell St, Dubuque, IA 52001, United States	+1 563-690-4800

Responsible Gambling in Iowa

Iowa is another state that takes responsible gambling very seriously. The state runs a Self-Exclusion Program that allows individuals who suffer from gambling addiction to enroll and have their gambling limited and restricted. Although this is not in itself enough to address the deeper issue of problem gambling, it’s a necessary first step.

The Hawkeye State also hosts many advocates for responsible play, including the Iowa Gaming Association which promotes core responsible gambling tenets.

Other than that, players may reach out to national bodies, such as Gam-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, and specifically the National Council on Problem Gambling, which remains one of the biggest supporters of addressing the issue of problem gambling head-on.

Iowa Online Casinos FAQ