There are a number of federal laws on the books in regards to gambling but they only target those involved in the business of gambling or facilitating bets for profit on U.S. soil. Recreational bettors are still able to place a bet but the venues to do so are limited. Each state in the union is able to develop their own gambling regulations to either further restrict or lessen the influence of these national policies, as Iowa is one state that has done so. We have built this page for all those in the Hawkeye State who desire to find legal gambling sites for Iowa residents and familiarize themselves with both local and federal laws.
While the federal policy on gambling is quite clear, there is plenty of room for the State of Iowa to enact its own gambling legislation. Indeed, local lawmakers have done so and provided detailed legislation in the State’s constitution as to what residents can and cannot do when it comes to gambling within the Hawkeye State’s borders. We will cover the more important points of the legalese below.
725.7 - This can be a little confusing at first with the words ‘Gaming’ and ‘Gambling’ being interchangeable but what is clear is a list of unlawful activities in the State of Iowa. This act in the constitution effectively outlaws participating in illicit gambling events. Players who play in private events either using the internet from home or privately with friends run no risk of prosecution.
99B.1(8) - This follows the federal template of vehemently outlawing the business of gambling or facilitating bets for profit. This can result in a serious misdemeanor or a Class C Felony depending on the severity or number of times the offense occurred.
99B.12 - This is a rather large list of exceptions to many types of gambling in the Hawkeye State. If any resident is sure to abide by the above conditions, he or she may wager as much as they wish. This essentially reinforces section 725.7 that criminalizes gambling with illicit enterprises. This passage legalizes gambling with lawful establishments.
99B.12(e), (f), (g) - This is another huge chunk of exceptions to open the door for many instances of legal gambling in the Hawkeye State. This helps clarify the difference between a lawful land based social game and an illicit event. Essentially, the host of the game cannot profit from the game by charging admission, collecting a rake, or any other means that would allow them to profit without wagering. If residents abide by these guidelines, they will remain safely under the rule of law.
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Wire Act – Out of the many federal gambling laws, none is as important as the Federal Wire Act of 1961. This legislation outlawed the business of gambling in U.S. territories while targeting organized crime but did not make the simple act of placing a bet unlawful. The transmission of gambling information across state lines via an electronic device or wire communications became illegal under this act. In 2011, lawmakers came to determine that this Act covered the Internet.
PASPA – The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was another law to enhance the powers of the Wire Act in 1992. With an emphasis on the business of sports betting, no entity is able to facilitate sports bets outside of only a few exempted locations such as Las Vegas.
UIGEA – In 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed under the SAFE Port Act and made it unlawful for any gambling business to accept or issue financial transactions over the internet. This made it virtually impossible for any gambling web-site within the United States to operate while once again having minimal impact on the mere participants of such sites.
What all of these federal laws have in common is that they do not hinder the average citizen from gambling as they only target operators inside of U.S. jurisdiction. This means that bettors are free to gamble inside of sanctioned facilities or on the internet with Iowa gambling sites that are located outside of the United States.
The legal gambling age in any land-based facility in the state of Iowa is strictly set at 21 years of age or older. This includes the lottery and pari-mutuel betting facilities as Iowa remain one of the tougher states when it comes to gambling age. However, those in the Hawkeye State who are looking to wager using a legal online gambling site will find that they are able to do so if aged 18 years of age or older.
In short, federal and state laws put in place do little to hinder the recreational gambler from an evening of entertainment. The State of Iowa is one of the more lax states in the Union with plenty of land-based facilities to bet in if of legal age. With the lack of internet legislation, anyone in the Hawkeye State who wishes to wager online is able to do so if visiting an online gambling site located outside of the United States. If locals do not engage in the business of gambling or try to conduct their own betting site, they may engage in gambling that is legal for Iowa residents safely under the rule of law.
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