The state of Iowa has just a handful of regulations on the law books regarding poker within state lines. Thanks to plenty of government-licensed legal casinos, a lack of any legal language about online gaming, and just one line in the Iowa penal code about home poker games. Iowa is a sort of haven for poker players. As long as you follow the few regulations that exist, your private poker game is fully legal, and there are plenty of ways to play legal poker in the Hawkeye State.

Are Online Poker Sites Legal In Iowa? As long as an online poker site is legitimately licensed, subject to regulatory oversight by a legitimate governing jurisdiction, there are not any Iowa state gambling laws or US federal gambling laws that make it a crime to play poker online at these destinations. In the United States, gambling laws. First, we tackle the legal part. Yes, it is totally legal for residents of Iowa to place bets over the internet with legally regulated online gambling websites. There are three important gambling laws in the US that impact online gambling, but none of these laws criminalize the act of placing a bet.

Understanding Poker Laws in Iowa

For poker players in Iowa, state law giveth and state law taketh away. To be less obtuse about it: Iowa law prohibits nearly all types of gambling, but then Iowa law also offers copious exceptions to that prohibition. The end result for poker players is a cornucopia of ways to play poker for real cash in Iowa.

Let's back up a bit and talk about the prohibition part. If you look to Section 725.1 of the Iowa code, you'll find that state law prohibits playing any 'game' for anything 'of any value.' So skill and chance aren't relevant concepts when you're discussing Iowa law as it relates to gambling - all that matters is the risk of something valuable. Poker - at least when you're playing it for real money or some other stakes with value - certainly qualifies as gambling in the context of this definition.

But like many of its counterparts, the state of Iowa has a bevy of regulated gambling available to residents and visitors. The full list of exceptions to the law for regulated operators of gambling activities is spelled out under Section 99B of Iowa law.

To save a bit of time, we'll summarize: you can play real-money poker in tribal casinos that feature poker rooms, including the WinnaVegas Casino. You can do the same at licensed commercial casinos that run poker such as the Horseshoe in Council Bluffs.

And the law in Iowa provides additional cover for home poker games, if you're so inclined. There are a number of specific characteristics that your game must display to qualify for the exception detailed in Section 99B, including:

1. Everyone must have a 'bona fide' social relationship
2. No one can act as the 'house' or make a profit from the game as an operator (as opposed to a player).
3. No one can win or lose more than $50 in the game

So, to summarize: Real-money poker is legal in Iowa's commercial casinos, tribal casinos and - under restrictive conditions - in private home games. Otherwise, Iowa law would likely frown upon your poker playing once real-money becomes involved.

Iowa Law & Home Poker Games

Just about every state in the USA has exceptions to their gambling laws allowing for social gaming of all kinds, including home poker games. The state of Iowa takes it to the next level, making it very clear what constitutes a legal home poker game. The regulations that outline a legal home or social game of chance or skill comes from the Iowa penal code, Section 99B.12.

For a home poker game to be legal in Iowa, each player in the game has to have a former social relationship, meaning you can’t just be there to play poker, you have to know the host and other players outside the game. Social games are not allowed in schools, the poker game itself must be fair, with an even chance of winning for all players and the host, and the host is not allowed to charge any entry fee or rake any pots. Another interesting wrinkle in Iowa law says that all players in social games have to take turn dealing, and the state goes so far as to limit winnings and losses to $50 in each twenty-four hour day. Naturally, all players in Iowa social poker games have to be at least eighteen years old.

These restrictions make your average social poker game legal, though the restriction of $50 in winnings and losses might be a problem for those poker players who like high or even medium stakes games. Still, hosting a tournament in your home with a $50 buy-in would be totally legal in the state of Iowa, though this still limits the amount of aggression in most home contests in Iowa, if they want to obey state law.

Learn About Other State Laws

Iowa Casino Poker

As of this writing, a few privately-owned casinos operate within the state borders of Iowa. Thanks to the fact of private ownership, casino gaming is varied statewide, with some casinos operating as resort-style properties and others little more than a few rows of slot machines. These casinos are supervised by Iowa’s state gaming license board, which means Iowa makes a decent amount of revenue by allowing casinos and casino poker.
Finding a casino that offers poker in Iowa isn’t difficult, but you may have to strike out at a few slot machine casinos or horse racing tracks before you find a casino property offering poker. If you want to play casino poker in Iowa, stick to the larger casinos, which have everything from slots and classic table games to horse and dog racing wagers and poker rooms. If you are an Iowan and you want to play poker, and you want to get around the limited winnings and losses of home games, check out the larger casino properties that have fully-staffed poker rooms.

Is Online Poker Legal in Iowa?

The state of Iowa has no single piece of language in the penal code covering online poker or gambling. In fact, gaming law in Iowa doesn’t mention the internet at all, and the only restrictions for Iowans who want to play poker online are those imposed by the federal government. You can play legal online poker in Iowa without fear of interference by the state government.

More information to Iowa online poker & gambling laws [http://www.legis.state.ia.us/IACODE/2001/725/7.html],

Iowa is what we would call a 'pro-poker' state. It has full-fledged casinos, no regulations against online poker and only some limitations in privately hosted games. Luckily, there is nothing stopping you from legal online poker rooms for Iowa residents and we're going to talk more about that on this page.

Is Online Poker Legal In Iowa?

Iowa is one of the few states that doesn't mention anything at all regarding online poker, not even transmitting 'gambling information over wire'. Of course, the federal laws apply (like the UIGEA bill, for instance), but none of them put a ban on playing poker online altogether. So yes, given that it's quite an untouched issue, you cannot get into any legal trouble if you play poker online as an Iowa resident.

Legal Online Poker Sites For Iowa Residents

Are you Looking for a great place to play some poker where you won’t have some bum saying, “sorry fellow resident of Iowa, but I owe you?” Well, if you’re interested in that kind of reliable and profitable poker experience then look no further than SportsBetting. Sure they don’t have the most likely name for a great poker site but trust us that SportsBetting is one of the best sites on the web for poker.

Is Online Poker For Money Legal In Iowa

Want to see a site that gives back to its users? Check this poker site for Iowa residents because they give you back more than you give them! 200% of your first deposit is going to be given back to use as you need it. It’s hard to not get a good bankroll going when the site is literally giving back money as long as you play on it. That isn’t the only way in which SportsBetting likes to give away money though; they also have tons of guaranteed tournaments throughout the week that offer up thousands of dollars to eager new poker players. Any resident of Iowa who thinks they can walk away with a piece of the more than $250,000 dollars in guaranteed prizes each week should check out SportsBetting now.

BetOnline is by far our preferred casino. It comes with a sportsbook, a horse betting room, lots of casino games and a poker room. The promotions are worth mentioning: while other casinos only offer you a one-time bonus on your first deposit, BetOnline gives you 25% (up to $900) on all deposits, for life. And the prizes don't stop here – they have lots of guaranteed freerolls, tournaments with consistent bonuses and hefty rewards for high rollers. And, on top of that, they accept all major credit cards, wire transfers, checks in the mail and some e-wallets. If you are looking for a great and well-established casino then look no further – BetOnline is the right pick!

The only restrictions on poker played in Iowa is with home games:

• all participants must be able to prove they have some sort of a 'social relationship' (you may play with your friends, acquaintances or relatives, but not with total strangers);
• no one is allowed to win or lose more than $50 (or an equivalent) in a 24-hour period of time;
• the game must be fair and all participants must have an equal chance at winning the pot; moreover, players should take turns in dealing the cards (so no one should be appointed as a dealer);
• the game should be free (i.e. no raked pots and no charging for sitting in);
• all participants must be 18+ years old.

Is Land Based Poker Legal in Iowa?

Ever since the world series of poker dominated the basic cable circuit a little while back, the United States has been engaged in a full on love affair with the game. The world may never know the exact appeal, whether it’s the high stakes involved, the suspense, or the big personalities of poker stars, but most citizens can admit they’re at the very least a little curious and most probably, completely hooked on the game.

For those who find themselves closer to the latter category who live in Iowa, there is some bad news regarding state law and how it relates to poker playing throughout the state. Of all the states in the union, Iowa may have the most stringent as they relate to gambling (under which poker is most definitely included, the letter of the law leaves little doubt.)

For those caught partaking in gambling in any form, even what is classified by law as “minor gambling” (wagering less than $100) the penalties escalate rather quickly. The first time an Iowa resident is caught participating in minor gambling, it is a simple misdemeanor. By the time a resident racks up a third offense, minor gambling is a fully fledged felony.

Is Online Poker Legal In Iowa Right Now

The harsh penalties for participating in gambling don’t even compare to the penalties associated with hosting a gambling event, or poker game. The first time any Iowa resident is caught hosting a poker game for profit, they are elevated directly to a felon, and are facing at least a year in a federal prison.

That being said, it’s important to draw a distinction as to what the state of Iowa means by running a game “for profit.” This does not mean betting and wagering in a game you host, rather it means collecting profits by hosting either through charging admission purely for the privilege to play or by collecting “rake” (a small percentage of each pot that goes to the house for profits) as the game progresses. Iowa residents should be aware of this distinction when hosting private games so as to not put themselves at great risk.

Where to Play Poker in Iowa:

For Iowa residents who want to know where they can go to play a couple hands of poker face to face, they will probably wish for a better answer than anyone familiar with state law can provide. Put simply, if one wants to wager a bit of money for serious potential winnings in a professional, casino environment: there is nowhere to go in their home state.

Iowa is not even home to any Native American reservations where poker rooms are usually prevalent, so this option is out the window as well.

Can You Play Online Poker In Iowa

When it comes to private home games strictly amongst friends, while they are still technically against the letter of the law, this is not a rule that is enforced heavily in Iowa. In fact, so long as the stakes remain low enough to stay below the radar and the host is careful not to collect a profit in any way, there have been no cases of a private Iowa game being busted by local authorities.

Is Online Poker Illegal

This may not be the most satisfactory option for avid poker fans in Iowa, but unfortunately, it’s the closest Iowa residents can legally come to playing a hand or two of poker at a real, live table.

Note: This information should in no way be regarded as legal advice. We are not legal counselors, but rather a group of enthusiastic players who wanted to present you with some information and clear out some misconceptions regarding the legality of playing poker in Iowa. Should you believe that you need further information, we would strongly advise you to consult with a lawyer.