Iowa sports betting looks as promising as ever.
Last Thursday, two bills with similar legislation were approved by their respective committees. Senate Study Bill 1168, proposed by Senator Roby Smith, calls for legalized sports betting in Iowa at Iowa's 19 casinos and horse tracks, as well as online and mobile sports betting and fantasy sports like FanDuel and DraftKings. What it doesn't include is an integrity fee that professional sports leagues continue to push for, but continue to fall short in receiving from states who have legalized sports betting already. This bill was approved by the Senate State Government Committee by an 8-6 vote and according to Chairman Bobby Kauffman, it expects to be voted on again for further advancement this week.
House Study Bill 198 was also approved by a House subcommittee and is moving on to the House State Government Committee.
Prairie Meadows Casino Starts Renovations For New Iowa Sportsbook
Prairie Meadows Casino and Racetrack in Altoona is betting on legalized sports betting in Iowa right now, as they've already converted a part of their fourth floor to accommodate Iowa sports betting. Senior VP of Prairie Meadows Brad Rhines stated, "It's not presumptuous to say (Prairie Meadows sportsbook might open) before July.” Prairie Meadows has been strategizing since back in May 2018 when the federal ban on sports betting in the US was struck down by the US Supreme Court.
In January, Prairie Meadows Casino announced a partnership with William Hill, the biggest US sportsbook operator. Together they worked on the new Iowa sportsbook's space, complete with many televisions projecting the betting odds and live sporting events, as well as a bar area and many tables and chairs for comfortable seating in an attempt to draw a younger crowd to the casino.
Wild Rose Casino Prepares For Legal Sports Betting In Iowa
Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Clinton is also preparing to be on the cutting edge of IA sports betting. They have some experience being a trailblazer in the state, as they were the first casino in Iowa to offer off-track betting for dog racing and horse racing. With a large sports bar and a ballroom ready to be opened up for big sports betting events like the Super Bowl, prize fights and betting on the NBA, Wild Rose is ready for one of the aforementioned bills, or any of the 10 total sports betting bills currently making their rounds in Iowa, to finally allow legalized sports betting in Iowa.
