Sports betting in Iowa saw a notable uptick in August, reflecting growth both from July and the same month last year.

However, according to the latest report from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, sportsbooks retained a smaller portion of the total wagers made.

In August, Iowa sportsbooks reported a handle of $185.5 million, marking a 1.4% increase from July’s $182.9 million, and up 2.1% from the $181.6 million recorded in August 2025. Despite this rise in betting volume, the net receipts for sportsbooks fell to $17.1 million in August, down 4.7% from July’s $18 million and nearly 22.5% below the $22.1 million reported in August 2025.

This decline in revenue can be attributed to increased payouts to bettors, who received $168.4 million in August – a 2.1% rise from July and a 5.6% increase from the same month last year. Consequently, sportsbooks’ hold, the portion of wagers retained as revenue, decreased to approximately 9.2% from July’s 9.8% and the 12.2% seen in August 2025.

Online betting continued to lead the way in Iowa, with over $178.2 million, or about 96% of all bets placed in August, made online. This segment grew by 2.9% from July and 3.5% year over year. In contrast, retail sportsbook betting dwindled to $7.3 million, down 25% from July and 22% compared to August 2025.

The state collected nearly $1.15 million in sports wagering taxes during August, which is a decline from the $1.21 million in July and $1.48 million collected a year earlier.