Even though the Supreme Court has allowed gambling activities, it doesn’t mean that every state has legalized gambling. The Supreme Court gave a green light to the state toward the legalization of online gambling, but it is up to the states to decide whether or not to allow such activities.
When it comes to gambling, there are multiple categories that can be approved separately. In other words, a state can legalize land-based casinos but ban any other online casino activity, and the other way around.
In the case of Iowa, it is safe to say that online sports gambling is thriving, but land-based casinos are still not fully regulated. The state of Iowa has passed a bill that allows brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and casinos, which also include poker rooms, which is a big step forward for the state.
In today’s article, we will dive deeper into the process of legalization of online gambling in Iowa and clarify all the things that gamblers need to understand in order to play casino games safely.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Iowa?
Is sports betting legal in Iowa? The situation with online gambling in Iowa is a bit complicated. The state has fully legalized online sports betting, but online casino games still remain illegal. Usually, in states where there are no online casinos, it is a matter of no licenses being given out, but the situation in Iowa is different.
The state has a law specifically prohibiting online casinos, which include real money and online poker.
Even though online casino gambling is not allowed in Iowa, we might see a change towards the legalization of online casinos with real money just because the majority of state represents approved legalization of online sports betting, and online poker was nearly legalized in 2011.
However, as of now, for all casino lovers, the only option is to play at Sweepstakes Casinos in Iowa.
These casinos are social casinos and do not require any deposit, meaning that they are completely free to play.
How Do Sweepstakes Casinos Work in Iowa?
Sweepstakes casinos are here to provide people with a way to play casino games without risking real money. Sweepstakes casinos are social casinos where people can sign up and receive a number of tokens or sweep coins that they can use to play casino games.
Using these tokens or coins you can play slots or your favorite casino table games like poker or blackjack.
Even though Sweepstakes casinos don’t require you to deposit real money, you can still win real money or prizes by acquiring sweeps coins.
Since users don’t risk any real money, this online casino (which cannot be considered gambling) is perfectly legal in Iowa.
Sweepstakes Casinos are the only way for people in Iowa to enjoy online casino games. They are open to anyone aged 18 or older, and the idea of where you can convert your tokens to cash or prizes makes the process more interesting.
Will Online Gambling Be Legalized Soon in Iowa?
Well, it is hard to say whether or not the state of Iowa will push the legalization of online gambling. A few years have passed since the legalization of online sports betting, and it seems like there is no talk or any kind of noise around online casinos.
As we mentioned before, online poker was once seen as a game that can be legalized, but since 2011, poker never came into question again.
In order for a new bill to pass, there must be some kind of momentum that will dictate all the details that need to be sorted out before legalizing online gambling. Since there is no talk about the legalization of online gambling, it is safe to say that it won’t happen any time soon.
However, as online gambling grows as an industry, the state of Iowa will definitely reconsider its decision toward the legalization of online gambling in the future.
