Growing Iowa Sports Gambling Gets Two New Online Sports Gambling Apps

The sports gambling scene in Iowa has been on the rise, hoping to sur the leading markets in Nevada and in New Jersey in the amount of revenue generated. The legalization of online sportsbooks ought to help in this endeavor.

The new sports gambling apps have been added to Iowa’s online sports betting scene. The two apps come from PointsBet and Q Casino, who have officially launched the apps in the state.

PointsBet, the Australia-based company opened its retail sportsbook in Iowa in August 2019 at the Catfish Bend Casino. It is now moving into the digital plain with the launch of its online operations after receiving approval from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC). The players in Iowa who wish to engage with the platform have to first appear at the casino and , according to the state law which is expected to stay in effect until January 2021.

On the other hand, Q Casino launched its online sportsbook on November 8, following approval by the IRGC. Q Casino’s sportsbook is located in Dubuque, at its similarly named brick-and-mortar casino. Q Casino has selected IGT as the vendor for the application, but the operation will be run by Q Casino. According to the state law, Iowa players will first have to visit the casino and , as is the case with any other online sports gambling operation in the state.

Increased Attention

The sports gambling industry in Iowa is gaining a lot of traction and attention. The famous William Hill operation already has four venues in the state and Elite Sportsbook has three retail locations, as well as a mobile app.

Casino Queen Marquette received approval by the IRGC last Thursday to begin their operations in Iowa, being the last in the state to the group, and now all 19 licensed casinos in Iowa have their own sportsbooks.

Players in the state are just now adjusting to the new offering because sports wagers were first offered in August. According to the IRGC reports, 18 retail sportsbooks that were in operation saw a retail handle of $42.2 million and net revenue of $7.7 million since the market launched in August.

However, online sports betting has already taken the lead, having reported a combined handle of $51.4 million with net revenue of $5.1 million. The figures are expected to be much higher in the coming years.

Source:

“Iowa gets two more online sports gambling apps”, Erik Gibbs, calvinayre.com, November 28, 2019.