Iowa New Racing Laws – What is New?

Gamblers just love Iowa! And why is that? Because the state has one of the most liberal gambling laws in the United States. And as such, there are several types of gambling options available between state borders. But that does not mean, there is no space to grow! And we can see that exact thing right now, as Iowa just introduced some new additions in its racing laws.

We know the Hawkeye State for so many things! Its rich historical heritage, its amazing agriculture, not to mention the Iowa state fair, and the breathtaking Grotto of the Redemption. But if you are a wager, you probably know one fact about Iowa, more than anything else. Its permitting laws, when it comes to casinos and the lottery. However, they still have some loosening to do, when it comes to online gambling and racing. Online gambling sites in the US, like Bovada, would have a great market in the state, but that is something that only the future could tell. And what about new racing laws in Iowa? There are some of them currently happening!

Gambling in Iowa

The Hawkeye State has a long history with gambling. It dates back to the 1800s. However, casino gambling was only regulated for the first time in 1989. But until today, the legislation became pretty elaborate. So, right now there are several forms of gambling legal and available in the state. According to onlineunitedstatescasinos.com, racing was the first form of gambling to become legal in the state, then horse and greyhound racing. “The Iowa Lottery was the next form of gambling to existing. (…) Charities may also offer games of chance. These are available at lodges, religious organizations, and fraternal orders. All must register with the state to offer bingo and raffles. Social gaming is also permitted in taverns with proper licensing.” And as to casinos, there are 22 of them today. They exist as a combination of regular ones and Native American casinos.

And what about online gaming? As one of our articles says: “Gambling laws don’t allow for online gambling in Iowa. However, most US gambling news says that the chances are high for the licensing of online casinos in Iowa. Currently, there are no specific gambling laws concerning online gambling in Iowa; however, the existing ones can be successfully applied to it.”

Iowa New Racing Laws

Those above-mentioned casinos just got some new additions! And these are great, so no question why many online gambling news sites in the US deal with the issue. As radioiowa.com reported, the Governor of the state, Kim Reynolds just signed new legislation. A piece of legislation that makes it legal for Iowa casinos to take bets on horse and dog races that are being run in foreign countries as well as in the United States.

And that is another huge step for the business in Iowa! It is true, that these casinos have been featuring live broadcasts from races outside of the US for years now. But regulators suspended this practice at the end of last year, and they asked the legislators to make it clearly legal. The debate lasted long enough, but it ended up with this big step. They also made this new feature safe for everyone, by excluding simulcasts from other foreign tracks.

What do the new Iowa racing laws mean?

With these expanded possibilities wagers now have more options. They can see expanded sports betting offers. They can now also legally do the activity, they have already been doing until last December – when they suspended it. That meaning, they can place bets on horse and dog races that are run in foreign countries and other states of the US. And hopefully, it is just a matter of time before they will be able to place bets online too, on sites like Bovada. Let us see what the future holds!

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