SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – The sports betting industry in Iowa could see a boom in 2021.
Gamblers will no longer have to go in-person to create a sports betting account. The previous law stated an account must be established by an eligible individual in person with a licensee, forcing Iowans to walk into a brick and mortar location to make their bets.
Under the new law, Iowans will be allowed to download gaming apps or open an account online no matter where they live.
“It now allows us to market and reach customers who didn’t necessarily have an opportunity to come to the Hardrock and enjoy what we have going on right here, and now they have the opportunity to do so online,” said Director of Sports Books Operation at the Sioux City Hardrock Hotel and Casino Anthony Torres.
This change in the new year will help make sports betting be more accessible to all Iowans, as well as providing more convenience for gamblers. All gamblers will need to do is provide a name, address, phone number, email, birth date, and last four digits of their social security number when registering online. With this new amity for gamblers, the Sioux City Hardrock hopes to continue to see foot traffic into their location.
“You’ll still be able to enjoy our retail experience here, and our loyal customers are doing so, and we will not see a drop in that, but we will see an increase, and the state will see an increase in online participants,” said Torres.
Gamblers will have the Super Bowl, NCAA Championship, and March Madness to take advantage of in the upcoming months. Casinos say this will be a great uptick in traffic as they lost more than half a billion dollars due to the pandemic and temporary shutdowns.
