Iowa Casino Revenues Up 6.2% in October, Magician’s Casino Tricks Get Him Caught

Iowa commercial casinos generated $141.3 million in October, a 6.2% increase from the $133.1 million reported in October 2024. 

Table games generated $13.4 million in October, increasing 5.1% year-on-year from $12.7 million, with slots seeing a similar rise of 6.3% from $120.4 million to $127.9 million. 

In other news, while Iowa legislators consider legalizing online casino games, retiring Prairie Meadows CEO Gary Palmer has spoken out against the legislation, claiming it would harm the community. This stance is based on evidence showing that searches for gambling help and the amount wagered have increased after sports betting was legalized in 2019. 

More Ups Than Downs For Iowa Casinos

According to the latest report from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, of the 19 commercial casinos in the state, 12 reported an increase in year-on-year revenue. 

The Lakeside Casino saw the highest revenue increase of 49.4%, rising from $3.1 million to $4.6 million. Five other casinos in the state also saw revenues increase in the double digits, including the Diamond Jo casino in Worth, which saw revenue rise 20.7% year-on-year from $8.5 million to $10.3 million. 

Additionally, five casinos saw revenue remain stable year-on-year, including the Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs, the second-highest earning casino in the state, which experienced a minor revenue decline of 0.1% from $13.70 million to $13.68 million. 

The only losses were experienced by the Grand Falls Casino Resort, which saw its profits decrease 6.4% year-on-year from $8 million to $7.5 million, and the Casino Queen Marquette, which saw a 4.9% decline from $1.8 million to $1.7 million. 

Magician's Slight of Hand at Iowa Casinos Gets Him Convicted 

A magician who attempted to pull the wool over the roulette dealers' eyes has been convicted after his magic touch got him caught out. 

Shaun Joseph Benward, whose stage name is “Shaun Mistery,” has been charged after an investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Special Enforcement Operation Bureau. 

It was reported that Benward would befriend roulette dealers in various casinos to create confusion when the bets close. He would then, along with a partner, convince the dealer that his chips were placed in the wrong place, insisting on a payout.

However, the smoke and mirrors eventually cleared, and Benward was arrested and charged with a series of fraudulent acts after evading authorities in Iowa for the past seven years. 

Regarding his arrest, a DCI statement read “He manipulated casino staff to secure more than $10K in improper payouts and avoided IRS reporting requirements by breaking up more than $12K in transactions, changing his outfit multiple times, and using different tellers to stay undetected.”

Benward has also been convicted in seven other states, including Nevada, where he was placed on its black list, banning him from all casinos in the state.