Iowa Gambling Laws stretch back to the early 1990's when Iowa helped to push legal gambling in many other states. The state of Iowa has placed itself at the cutting edge of legal gambling for years. Though other locations might be more synonymous with gambling - Atlantic City, Monte Carlo, the state of Nevada - few push the envelope of legalized gaming as greatly as Iowa.

Whether it be land based or of the online variety, you won’t have to look very far in order to get your gambling fix in the state of Iowa. With so many options available online, it is true to say that you will never be short of ideas when it comes to choosing a new game. The best part about gambling in Iowa is of course the fact that it is legal. Not just legal, but mainstream!

One thing many may not know about gambling is that the nation was introduced to riverboat gambling by Iowa! The first bill legalizing riverboat casinos in the nation was passed in the state of Iowa in 1989. This bill opened the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Riverboat gambling within Iowa. In Iowa state, the Dubuque Racing Association was approved to operate a gambling riverboat in 1990. It was the first of its kind. The first voyage of the Dubuque Casino Belle was on April 1st, 1991. This benefited both the state and the Dubuque Racing Association over and above their $4,000,000 spent in the Ice Harbor improvement.

Iowa kept going. Since then, Iowa's state legislature has expanded the kinds of games possible in Par-Mutual I facilities include slot machines and table games. One example is Racinos. Since December 2004, when the Prairie Meadows Race Track in Altoona, Iowa opened as a pari-mutual facility with track betting AND slot machines, the racino has become a national phenomenon.

Gambling Revenue also benefits local economies. One can be certain that Iowa recognizes how much recreational gaming can help bolster income. This is evidenced by the surprising surge in the number of in-state casinos. Iowa has been able use regulated activities and casinos to stimulate local economies directly through licensing fees and indirectly through casino jobs.

Beyond the immediate tax revenue increase coming from construction of gambling venues, there are other secondary benefits to local economies such as new jobs both in and around the casino. The Wild Rose Casino - which opened in May 2006 - is an example of how casinos help to increase tourism. An uptick in tourism causes a local increase in jobs, such as in hotel staff, travel agents, and generally throughout the hospitality industry. This eventually has a positive impact on local convenience stores, coffee shops, gas stations, and other businesses.

The legal age for gambling in Iowa, like in a lot of states is 21. If you manage to sneak in to a gambling establishment at a lower age, you could find yourself in big trouble with the law. The authorities do not look kindly upon underage gambling, and it is impossible to collect any sort of winnings if you are under the legal age.

Online gambling is the new form of legal online entertainment and residents of Iowa love what the online gambling industry is doing for them. With no specific clarification on online gambling laws in Iowa, players of the legal gambling age can participate in online gambling. Providing hours of online fun and offering endless winning possibilities, most players prefer online gambling over the classic gambling facilities and as long as the meet the requirements set by online gambling laws, such as age, they are good to go.

Casinos have always had a glamorous image, and the hundreds of tourists that visit las Vegas prove this. However, If you are a resident of Iowa and find yourself a little lacking on the travel front, you will, be over the moon to know that online casinos have reached a point in which they are almost surpassing the quality of land based ones. Online casinos are a very popular choice for gambling enthusiasts in the state of Iowa.

Waging bets on sports is a pastime that is as old as sport itself. While the amount of land based sports booking establishments may be quite lacking, Residents of Iowa will be pleased to know that there is definitely no shortage of online sportsbooks to choose from. Online sportsbooks are legal, safe and make your favorite sports more interactive than ever. Nothing beats the thrill of your team winning, and you reaping the big cash rewards from it. Players will also enjoy the benefits that come from USA casino bonuses and USA sports betting bonuses.

Online poker has never been so popular in Iowa as it is today. Websites such as Bovada offer everything a land based poker establishment does, as well as offering the safety and convenience that the internet provides.

The legality of gambling must be constantly reviewed. We always try to provide the most accurate and up to the minute information regarding state gambling laws; however, it's practically impossible to update every change manually. State laws are constantly changing, so keeping up with them all is a Herculean task. According to our research at USA Gambling Laws, you can almost always find some form of legal gambling in every US state. The reason we have gambling laws in Iowa is for the protection of online and offline gamblers and gambling facilities.