Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018

Introduction to Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018

Iowa slot machine casino gambling consists of 22 gambling establishments. These include 16 non-tribal casinos, three pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, and three American Indian tribal casinos.

Payout return minimum and maximum limits have been legally set for tribal casinos, but none have been set for commercial (non-tribal) casinos. Payout return statistics are available for non-tribal casinos, but none are available for tribal casinos.

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This post continues the weekly blog series Online Resource: State-By-State Slots Gambling Summaries, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambling enthusiasts to success. Each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Iowa*

The minimum gambling age in Iowa does not depend upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 21
• Poker Rooms: 21
• Bingo: 21
• Lottery: 21
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 21

All gambling was originally prohibited in Iowa from statehood in 1846 until 1972 when the Iowa constitution was changed to allow for games of chance such as bingo and raffles. Later, pari-mutuel wagering was allowed in 1983, quickly followed by a state lottery in 1985.

In 1989, excursion boat gambling was authorized, making Iowa the first U.S. state to legalize riverboat gambling. Boats began operation in 1991. In 2004, the state legislature removed the boat requirement, allowing them to be permanently moored barges in man-made water basins.

In 1992, state-tribal compacts were negotiated with three American Indian tribes. It is important to note that the commission has no regulatory or oversight responsibilities for these compacts.

Slot machines were themselves authorized in Iowa at pari-mutuel racetracks in 1994. In 2005, many new licenses were granted for new excursion gambling boat applications.

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*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws apply to various forms of gambling. This information is not intended to provide legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Iowa

It is legal to privately own a slot machine in Iowa if it is 25 years of age or older.

Gaming Control Board in Iowa

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) was created by the state legislature with the passing of the Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act of May 1983. The IRGC administers this Act as well as the Exclusive Boat Gambling Act, thereby legalizing riverboat casinos.

Iowa is at the forefront of the gambling industry with regards to legalized gambling. It was the first state to legalize riverboat casinos. Also, they were the first to legally allow both slot machines and table games at pari-mutuel racetrack facilities. By doing so, they created the first so-called racinos.

In mid-2017, the IRGC requested gaming market analysis studies be performed by two independent contracting companies. These comprehensive and publicly available Iowa gaming market studies were provided in October of 2017.

A few points and observations made by these reports are:

1. Only modest growth of the gambling market has been seen between 2004 and 2017, implying Iowa has a relatively stable and mature gaming industry.
2. Most of Iowa’s residents have one or more casino venues within a 1-hour drive, resulting in most casinos now having to operate within a competitive local market.
3. As a market, Iowa is approaching maximum market penetration in part due to low population growth and fewer people gambling in some parts of the state.
4. Gaming market pressures are being felt from the neighboring state of Illinois by Iowa casinos near the Illinois border.
5. Fewer Iowans are gambling, which is somewhat offset by a higher amount of money being spent per visit.
6. All but three of the original riverboat casinos are now land-based casinos.
7. The Iowa casino industry including tribal gaming is valued at around $1.6 billion.

Casinos in Iowa

There are 16 non-tribal casinos, three American Indian tribal casinos, and three non-tribal racinos in Iowa.

The largest casino in Iowa is the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, having 2,000 gaming machines and 44 table games.

The second largest casino is Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama, having 1,350 gaming machines and 21 table games.

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List of Casinos in Iowa

There are 19 commercial (non-tribal) casinos in Iowa, including:

1. Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs a commercial casino located 132 miles west of Des Moines.
2. Casino Queen Marquette a commercial casino located 131 miles northwest of Davenport near the Wisconsin border.
3. Catfish Bend Casino a commercial casino in Burlington located 78 miles southwest of Des Moines near the Illinois border.
4. Diamond Jo Casino Dubuque a commercial casino in Dubuque located 72 miles north of Davenport near the Illinois border.
5. Diamond Jo Casino Worth a commercial casino in Northwood located 135 miles north of Des Moines near the Minnesota border.
6. Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort a commercial casino in Larchwood located 291 miles northwest of Des Moines near the northwest corner of Minnesota.
7. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City a commercial casino in Sioux City located 200 miles northwest of Des Moines near the Nebraska border.
8. Harrah’s Casino & Hotel Council Bluffs a commercial casino in Council Bluffs located 133 miles west of Des Moines.
9. Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs a pari-mutuel racetrack racino in Council Bluffs located 131 miles west of Des Moines.
10. Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf a commercial casino in Bettendorf located 54 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids.
11. Isle of Capri Casino Waterloo a commercial casino in Waterloo located 30 miles west of Des Moines.
12. Lakeside Hotel Casino a commercial casino in Osceola located 48 miles south of Des Moines.
13. Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino a pari-mutuel racetrack racino in Altoona located 11 miles west of Des Moines.
14. Q Casino a pari-mutuel racetrack racino in Dubuque located 73 miles north of Davenport.
15. Rhythm City Casino Resort a commercial casino in Davenport located 7 miles northeast of Davenport.
16. Riverside Casino and Golf Resort a commercial casino in Riverside located 39 miles south of Cedar Rapids.
17. Wild Rose Casino – Jefferson a commercial casino in Jefferson located 65 miles northwest of Des Moines.
18. Wild Rose Casino and Resort Clinton a commercial casino in Clinton located 37 miles northeast of Davenport near the Illinois border.
19. Wild Rose Casino and Resort Emmetsburg a commercial casino in Emmetsburg located 165 miles northwest of Des Moines.

List of Tribal Casinos in Iowa

Iowa has three federally-recognized American Indian tribes including:

1. Omaha Tribe of Nebraska
2. Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
3. Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

The negotiated and approved tribal-state gaming compacts for these three tribes is available at Indian Gaming Compacts within the Indian Affairs Division of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The three American Indian tribal casinos in Iowa are:

1. Blackbird Bend Casino in Onawa located 35 miles southeast of Sioux City near the Nebraska border.
2. Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama located 64 miles northeast of Des Moines.
3. WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan located 27 miles south of Sioux City near the Nebraska border.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Iowa slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state.

Iowa is bordered by:

• North: Minnesota Slots
• East: Wisconsin Slots and Illinois Slots
• South: Missouri Slots
• West: Nebraska Slots and South Dakota Slots

Each of the links above will take you to my state-specific blog for that bordering state to Iowa.

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Payout Returns in Iowa

According to Iowa’s Legal Code, no legal limits have been set on theoretical payout returns for slot machines at commercial (non-tribal) casinos. In fact, they are apparently meant to be adjustable by the gaming commission on an as-needed basis. The relevant legal wording is:

…In making the determination of payouts, the commission shall consider factors that provide gambling and entertainment opportunities which are beneficial to the gambling licensees and the general public.

Iowa Code 2018, Chapter 99F (28, 2), Section 99F.4 Powers, Paragraph 15

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission makes actual payout return statistics available for its commercial (non-tribal) casinos. Visit their Casino Payback Percentages for a simple 1-page pdf showing monthly payout return percentages for each casino.

The monthly payout returns percentages for October of 2018 are provided below for each commercial (non-tribal) casino in Iowa.

• Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs had a payout return of 90.2%.
• Casino Queen Marquette had a payout return of 90.1%.
• Catfish Bend Casino at PZAZZ had a payout return of 90.4%.
• Diamond Jo Casino Dubuque had a payout return of 90.4%.
• Diamond Jo Casino Worth had a payout return of 90.4%.
• Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort had a payout return of 90.4%.
• Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City had a payout return of 90.4%.
• Harrah’s Casino & Hotel Council Bluffs had a payout return of 89.5% (2nd lowest).
• Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs had a payout return of 89.6%.
• Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf had a payout return of 89.7%.
• Isle of Capri Casino Waterloo had a payout return of 90.2%.
• Lakeside Hotel Casino had a payout return of 89.1% (lowest).
• Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino had a payout return of 91.5% (highest).
• Q Casino had a payout return of 90.8% (3rd highest).
• Rhythm City Casino Resort had a payout return of 90.2%.
• Riverside Casino and Golf Resort had a payout return of 90.5%.
• Wild Rose Casino – Jefferson had a payout return of 90.6%.
• Wild Rose Casino and Resort Clinton had a payout return of 90.8%.
• Wild Rose Casino and Resort Emmetsburg had a payout return of 90.9% (2nd highest).

Also available from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission are Gaming Revenue reports on a monthly and a cumulative annual basis.

These reports include monthly casino hold statistics per slot machine denomination and by a casino. Remember that hold% is converted to return% by subtracting hold% from 100%.

No payout return statistics are available from Iowa’s tribal casinos. However, minimum and maximum payout returns have been legally established in all three tribal-state gaming compacts. These limits are 80% and 99%, respectively, over the expected lifetime of the device.

Summary of Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018

Iowa slot machine casino gambling consists of 16 non-tribal casinos, three pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, and three American Indian tribal casinos.

Payout return minimum and maximum limits have been legally set for tribal casinos via tribal-state compacts to be between 80% and 99% over the lifetime of the machine.

No legal limits have been set for commercial (non-tribal) casinos. Extensive payout return statistics are available for non-tribal casinos, but none are available for tribal casinos.

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Annual Progress in Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling

There is been little change in the Iowa gaming market over the last year. Within the last year, two independent studies have reported it to be a mature and stable market.

2017 Archive: Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2017 – Iowa is at the forefront of the gambling industry with regards to legalized gaming, including Iowa slot machine casino gambling at pari-mutual facilities, i.e., racinos. Iowa currently has 22 casinos and pari-mutuel facilities, including three American Indian tribal casinos not subject to state gaming regulations.

Related Articles from Professor Slots

• 11 Things You Need To Know About American Indian Tribal Casinos – Tribal gaming is involved, even sophisticated, in terms of legal, regulatory, political, and economic factors. It’s one of the least understood segments of the U.S. gaming industry. This summary article on American Indian tribal casinos helps slot machine casino gamblers better understand the tribal casinos they visit.

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

• Series: Online Resource: State-By-State Slots Gambling Summaries – Now in its second year, this series is an online resource dedicated to slot machine casino gambling enthusiasts. It provides 56 weekly, detailed gambling summarizes covering each U.S. state, territory, and the federal district to capture dynamic changes occurring of late in the U.S. gaming/gambling industry specific to slots play.
• Previous: Indiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018 – Indiana slot machine casino gambling consists of 9 riverboat casinos now allowed to be land-based casinos, 1 land-based casino, 2 racinos, and a new tribal casino with Class II games. Detailed annual and monthly revenue reports from the state gaming commission offer actual payout return statistics for all non-tribal casinos.
• Next: Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018 – Kansas slot machine casino gambling consists of four non-tribal, state-run casinos and five tribal casinos. A tenth casino is under state review. Minimum payout returns are 87% for non-tribal casinos and 80% for most tribal casinos. The minimum payout return for one tribal casino, run by a tribe from Oklahoma, is unclear.