Iowa Sports Betting Revenue 2025

Iowa Revenue Insights

All About Iowa Sports Betting

Iowa was one of the early adopters of legal sports betting following the repeal of PASPA in 2018, launching its market in August 2019. Since then, the Hawkeye State has steadily expanded access to retail and online betting, lifting its in-person registration requirement in January 2021. That move significantly boosted market participation and paved the way for more substantial year-over-year revenue growth.

With 11 licensed online sportsbooks in Iowa and a well-regulated market, Iowa continues to generate meaningful tax revenue for public initiatives, including infrastructure and workforce development.

Now, bettors can make wagers in person, on desktop, or on mobile betting apps, making it more convenient for consumers. The industry provides consistently rising tax revenue for Iowa, which funds state budgets, including the “Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund, which offers essential infrastructure projects.

Many areas are supported, including agricultural and land stewardship, public safety, economic development, public defense, state university buildings, technology projects, and more (Iowa Gaming and Racing Commission, 2023).

Annual Sports Betting Growth in Iowa

Data on Annual sports betting revenue in Iowa is pulled directly from the Iowa Gaming and Racing Commission.

Source:

Embed Chart

Monthly Sports Betting Growth in Iowa

2024

Data on Monthly sports betting revenue in Iowa is pulled directly from the Iowa Gaming and Racing Commission.

Source:

Embed Chart

📊 Iowa Sports Betting Year-by-Year Performance Highlights

Year	Handle	GGR	Tax Revenue
2019	$212.2 million	$19.3 million	$1.3 million
2020	$575.2 million	$41.6 million	$2.81 million
2021	$2.05 billion	$125.5 million	$8.47 million
2022	$2.35 billion	$165.6 million	$11.17 million
2023	$2.42 billion	$198.8 million	$13.42 million
2024	$2.77 billion	$218.5 million	$14.75 million

📈 Q1 2025 Sports Betting Revenue

Iowa’s first-quarter performance in 2025 shows resilience and volatility, with March experiencing a notable drop in hold percentage. However, overall, the quarterly GGR surpassed $63.2 million and generated over $4.26 million in tax revenue.

Iowa Sports Betting Revenue – Q1 2025

Month	Handle	GGR	Hold %	Tax Revenue
January 2025	$289.73 million	$26.19 million	9.04%	$1.77 million
February 2025	$216.45 million	$21.27 million	9.83%	$1.44 million
March 2025	$287.83 million	$15.75 million	5.47%	$1.06 million
Q1 2025 Total	$794.01 million	$63.21 million	7.96%	$4.27 million

Latest Updates in Iowa Sports Wagering

May 13, 2019: Governor Kim Reynolds signs SF 617 into law, legalizing sports betting in Iowa. (Iowa Legislature, 2019)
August 15, 2019: The first legal sports bets are placed in Iowa. (DesMoines Register, 2019)
January 1, 2021: The in-person registration requirement for mobile betting is lifted, allowing remote sign-ups for users.
December 31, 2021: Iowans have placed more than $1 billion on sports bets for the first time in a single year. The state earns $11.1 million in tax revenue.
October 2024: Iowa shows signs of significant growth late in the year. Its monthly handle in October ($294.9 million) is 15.5% higher than 2023. (Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, 2024)
December 2024: Iowa closes the year with a record-breaking $2.77 billion in handle and over $218 million in GGR, the highest totals since market launch.
January 2025: Iowa reports a $289.7 million monthly handle and $26.2 million in GGR—marking the state’s third-highest GGR total ever recorded.
Q1 2025: Combined quarterly handle exceeds $794 million, generating more than $4.26 million in tax revenue. Despite a sharp drop in March’s hold percentage (5.47%), Iowa maintains a stable and maturing market profile.

Iowa Snapshot

Key Aspect	Details
Population	Approximately 3.2 million residents as of 2025. (World Population Review, 2025)
Political Affiliation	Predominantly Republican, the state has a Republican trifecta, controlling the governorship and both legislative chambers. (270towin.com, 2024)
Year Sports Betting Legalized	Permitted from May 13, 2019. (Des Moines Register 2019)
Number of Sportsbooks Operating	11 licensed operators, including market leaders like DraftKings, BetMGM, BetRivers, Hard Rock Bet, FanDuel, and Caesars.
Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) Q1, 2025	$63,211,079
Sports Betting Handle Q1, 2025	$794,008,567
Professional Sports Teams	Iowa does not have professional teams. However, sports fans in Iowa enjoy local NCAA teams and nearby American football franchises like the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears.

FAQs

Basic Info

When was sports betting permitted in Iowa?

Sports betting in the Iowa market was permitted beginning on May 13, 2019.

How many sportsbooks operate in Iowa?

There are 17 licensed Iowa sportsbooks: Caesars, BallyBet, FanDuel, Betfred, BetMGM, Circa Sports, DraftKings, Betway, Q Sportsbook, bet365, ESPN Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook, BetRivers, Superbook, Hard Rock Sportsbook, Daily Racing Form, and Sporttrade.

What is covered on this page?

This page provides a breakdown of Iowa's betting market, including handle, revenues, and operator updates, all backed by official reports. (Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, 2024)

Market Statistics

What was Iowa’s total sports wagering handle in 2023?

According to Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission reports, the state reported a wagering handle of $2,420,464,385.00 in 2023.

How much revenue was generated in 2023?

Iowa’s GGR in 2023 exceeded $198.8 million with more than $13 million collected in taxes.