Boyd Gaming and FanDuel Group have announced the grand opening of their first retail sportsbook in the state of Iowa, located at Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood.

The FanDuel Sportsbook, the first in the Midwest, opened to the public at yesterday, as Football Hall of Fame and Minnesota sports legend John Randle placed the ceremonial first bet as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a measure in May that allowed sports betting, beginning at noon Thursday. It requires players to first travel to a casino to prove their age and identity and set up an account.

Iowa is the only Midwestern state with legalized sports betting. Indiana is set to start next month, and Illinois has approved it but could be several months away from startup because rules are still being drafted.

That means sports betting enthusiasts are likely to travel to Iowa casinos from adjacent states to sign up and boost business for border casinos
Iowa’s law requires mobile betting to be done within the borders of the state. Betting software includes precision geofencing technology that nullifies bets made outside of Iowa.