(Radio Iowa) – Racing and Gaming Administrator Tina Eick says the money bet on sports went up in Iowa in the fiscal year that ended June 30th.  “The amount wagered in the last fiscal year was almost two-point-nine billion dollars ($2.9). That’s up nine-point-three percent (9.3%) over the last fiscal,” Eick says. Eick says there were some records set for the amount wagered that is known as the handle.

“Fiscal year 2025 marks the first time that a single operator, Draft Kings took in more than one billion in handle on its own in the state of Iowa,” she says. There were several monthly betting records set. “November in particular set an all time record for handle at 315 million dollars, ” Eick says, “and we set records for revenue in eight out of the 12 months.” A majority of the money bet is paid out in prizes, but the sports gambling operators and the state also got a cut.

“Revenue on that for the operators was over 240 million dollars, and tax dollar wise to the state, that was over 16-point-two million dollars, which is up just over 13 percent,” she says. Iowa was one of the first states to start sports betting in 2019, and Eick says as the industry grows, there continues to be more options. “New leagues are still being requested and approved for wagering from the Commission on a regular basis,” she says. “So we’re covering everything from those standard markets that everybody knows and loves, football, March Madness, to obscure European table tennis.”

While sports wagering has grown, Eick says it still lags behind casino revenue in Iowa. The last fiscal year taxes on casino wagering were approximately 345-million dollars, compared to 16-point-two million from sports wagering. Eick says Racing and Gaming also wants to be sure that no one gets in over their head in any type of gambling and there is help available.

If anyone finds themselves or a family members in need of those resources, information on the self exclusion program can be found on the Commission website,” she says. You can also go to yourlifeiowa.org or call 1-800-BETS-Off to get free confidential help.