With sports betting arriving in Iowa soon, a few operators might have a slight edge over the competition, in terms of being first to market.
Partnerships are already going live in the wake of. Iowa’s recently passed sports betting bill. There will also be fast competition from Indiana, which also legalized sports gambling.
Who’s already in for Iowa sports betting?
- William Hill US has inked a deal to partner with the casinos in Bettendorf and Waterloo, as well as an earlier deal with Prairie Meadows.
- PointsBet Sportsbook has announced a partnership with Catfish Bend Casino.
- BetFred has a deal in place with Elite Casino Resorts.
The Midwest sports betting comparison
There are several factors operators look at before they decide to enter a new market, tax rate, licensing fees, mobile components, to name a few.
What makes Indiana and Iowa so intriguing is the slight similarities.
Tax rate
- Iowa – 6.75 percent
- Indiana – 9.5 percent
Licensing fee
- Iowa – $45,000 / $10,000 renewal fee
- Indiana – $100,000 / $50,000 renewal fee
Mobile wagering permitted?
- Iowa – yes
- Indiana – yes
William Hill in Iowa
William Hill planned for the best-case scenario and struck an agreement with Prairie Meadows Casino and Racetrack in Altoona, Iowa, in January. That’s a full four months before Iowa’s sports betting bill became law.
Now that Iowa sports betting is legal, the deal allows William Hill to operate a sportsbook at the casino, subject to the approval of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
William Hill CEO, Joe Asher, had this to say:
“We are excited about the prospect of sports betting in Iowa and are thrilled to partner with Prairie Meadows — we are building a first-class sportsbook that will make Prairie Meadows the place to bet and watch the games.”
PointsBet in Iowa
On April 22, PointsBet locked-in a multi-year agreement with Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, Iowa. The partnership will also permit PointsBet to launch a retail and mobile sportsbook following proper licensing from the gaming commission.
“We couldn’t imagine a better sportsbook to bring to Catfish Bend Casino and the state of Iowa,” Gary Hoyer, CEO of Great River Entertainment said in April.
“PointsBet’s unmatched dedication to bettors makes them the ideal partner for our brand and go-to-market plan,” Hoyer said.
Great River Entertainment is the parent company to Catfish Bend Casino.
