Unibet Becomes Iowa’s 13th Sportsbook, Adds College Football Betting Promos For New Customers

Written By Russ Mitchell on September 1, 2021 - Last Updated on March 15, 2024

Unibet met its goal to go live in Iowa before football betting season with a few days to spare.

The Unibet sports betting app entered the Iowa sports betting market on Wednesday via a partnership with Harrah’s Casino. The book is the second skin at the Council Bluffs casino. Harrah’s also hosts Caesars-branded kiosks on site.

Parent company Kindred Group has a 10-year agreement with Harrah’s, plus a pair of five-year extension options to follow. Unibet is its Kindred Group’s flagship brand. The sportsbook is already live in four states:

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Indiana
  • Virginia

Sign-up offer for new Unibet customers

To mark its arrival, Unibet has a special offer for new betting customers in Iowa.

Bet a minimum of $5 on the Iowa or Iowa State moneyline this weekend and get $50 if your team scores a touchdown in the game.

The moneyline odds for the Iowa State vs. UNI game at Unibet as of Friday afternoon are:

  • UNI: -115
  • Iowa State: -106

The moneyline odds for Indiana-Iowa as of Friday are:

  • Indiana: -106
  • Iowa: -115

Manuel Stan, US senior vice president, said that Unibet is counting on the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry and neighboring Kansas City’s role as a Super Bowl contender to draw betting interest in the state.

What bettors can expect from Unibet in Iowa

Unibet features extensive live betting options, especially during NFL season.

Stan talked with PlayIA right before the start of March Madness. When Iowa faced Wisconsin, Unibet gave bettors 110 various betting markets for the game.

Stan said:

“The wide offer of betting types, including great live coverage for all main sports, puts us in a leading spot. But, the product offer is just a part (of) the customers’ overall experience. From registration to payment options — both deposits as well as withdrawals — to customer support and marketing promotions, we aim to offer a seamless, best-in-class experience to our customers across all states.”

Midwest a priority for Unibet

The sportsbook established Midwest roots 13 months ago when it launched in Indiana. Unibet becomes the 13th sportsbook to go live in Iowa.

Quoted in a press release on Sept. 1, Stan said:

“We are truly excited to expand our Midwest footprint via the multi-state agreement with Caesars Interactive Entertainment and bring a top sports betting offering to the Iowa customers. (Their) passion for football is unparalleled and we are confident we can bring an exciting product just in time for the start of the football season.”

As part of its announcement Wednesday, Kindred Group said the Unibet Iowa Sportsbook app is available for Apple and Android customers.

Iowa bettors who want to find the Unibet Iowa sportsbook on their desktop computer, should click on the globe icon in the top-right corner of the Unibet website and navigate to the “US – Iowa” link.

Iowa welcomes Unibet with online registration

Sportsbook operators could offer regulated sports betting in Iowa with the passage of SF 617 in May 2019.

At first, sports bettors needed to visit one of Iowa’s brick-and-mortar casinos to activate their accounts in order to enjoy mobile sports betting. That requirement came to an end at the start of 2021.

In March, Stan said:

“While the initial in-person registration was a hurdle for many operators, including Unibet, the current landscape puts Iowa on the top (with) one of the better (sets of) regulations in the United States. We are confident Iowa will continue to grow into one of the most successful markets in the Midwest.”

Kindred Group calls Arizona its “next important launch” for Unibet. It has conditional market access in California and Ohio in addition to Illinois and three additional states. Unibet is expected to go live in Illinois via a partnership with the Argosy Casino in Alton, IL.

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Russ Mitchell

Russ Mitchell has been covering news and sports in northwest Iowa since 1997, including 11 years as managing editor for one of the most acclaimed community newspapers in the state. He looks forward to keeping readers up to date on the growing sportsbook industry in Iowa.

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