Find Your Favourite Iowa Casino Resorts 2025

Iowa might be the location of the famous Field of Dreams baseball field, but it also makes a lot of gamblers dreams come true as well.

With relaxed legislation, Iowa permits all types of gambling including casinos, online and in-person sports betting and horse racing betting too. In fact, casinos are one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. 

If you’re looking for a land-based casino to visit in Iowa, then keep reading for our top recommendations.

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Lynsey Thompson January 25th, 2024

Iowa Land-Based Casino Operators

Casinos in Iowa are a mix of commercial and tribal casinos with a variety of operators including some big names:

• Caesars Entertainment –  A mega-casino operator, Caesars has four casinos in Iowa – Horseshoe Council Bluffs, Harrah’s Council Bluffs, Isle Casino Bettendorf and Isle Casino Waterloo
• Bally’s – Popular casino company Bally’s owns Casino Queen Marquette in Iowa
• Penn Entertainment – Operates Ameristar Casino Council Bluffs
• Hard Rock – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City is part of the Hard Rock International group of properties which is owned by the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida

Iowa Casino Resorts 

With a total of 23 Iowa casinos, it can be difficult to choose which one to visit, so here’s some of our favourites. 

• Riverside Casino and Golf Resort – A 200-room hotel with an indoor/outdoor pool, world class golf course and five restaurants including a buffet. The casino is 58,000 square feet and has 1,181 slots, 54 table games for blackjack, roulette and craps, and a 14 table poker room. 
• Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Part of the Harrah’s brand of casino resorts owned by Caesars. If you’ve stayed at a Harrah’s before, you’ll know what to expect. The 250 room hotel has beautiful views of the Missouri River and Omaha skyline. The casino is smaller than you’d expect at just under 30,000 square feet but it has over 600 slots, 13 live table games, electronic table games and a sportsbook. 
• Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City – Unlike other large flashy Hard Rock properties, The Sioux City one is a boutique hotel with a AAA Four Diamond rating. Offering just 54 rooms, the resort still has that familiar Hard Rock style but its based in a historic Battery Building. The casino floor is 45,000 square feet with over 675 slots, 16 live table games and sports betting. Although the casino and slots are open 24/7, the live table games are usually open from 10am – 2am. The resort also has two restaurants, three bars, a seasonal outdoor pool, fitness center, a live entertainment venue and an outdoor events park. 

More Than Gambling

As I’ve already mentioned, casinos are a big part of Iowa tourism, however, there are still a few other things you should check out when you’re in town, such as:

• Attractions – Visit Adventureland, Iowa’s biggest amusement park with roller coasters and water rides or Arnolds Park Amusement Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the US. Plus, don’t forget the real Field of Dreams I mentioned earlier from the famous Kevin Costner movie. 
• Rivers/Lakes– Iowa borders two of the biggest rivers in North America, Mississippi to the east and Missouri to the west. There’s also the stunning glacier-carved Iowa Great Lakes. These spots offer beautiful views as well as opportunities to go boating or fishing. 
• Des Moines – The cultural hub of Iowa where you can visit the gold-domed Iowa State Capitol Building, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, and the lively East Village. The Iowa State Fair takes place every August in Des Moines attracting over 1 million visitors. 
• Adventures – If you’re a bit of an adventurer you might enjoy Maquoketa Caves State Park with over a dozen caves you can explore including underground tunnels. You could take a vintage train ride through the Iowa countryside along the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad or visit the High Trestle Trail Bridge to see its spectacular blue LED lights at night.

Important Considerations

The minimum gambling age for casinos in Iowa is 21 years old. It is always advisable to bring photographic ID with you on entry.