Iowa
March Madness tips off, driving a surge in sports betting across Iowa and nationwide
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As March Madness gets underway, sports betting is seeing a major spike both nationwide and here in Iowa.
According to a report from the American Gaming Association, Americans are estimated to legally wager $3.3 billion on this years NCAA women’s and men’s basketball tournaments, which is a 54% increase over the past three years.
Officials say the NCAA tournament is one of the busiest times of year for wagering, second only to football season.
“Football is king, but that is followed quickly thereafter by March Madness,” Tina Eick, administrator for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, said. “And so this is a busy time of year for sports wagering.”
Since sports betting was legalized in Iowa in 2019, participation has steadily increased year after year. That trend is continuing in 2026.
So far this fiscal year, Iowans have already wagered millions on sports. Nationally, the numbers are even higher.
“This is the biggest time of the year when it comes to sports betting,” Alex Jacquez, Chief of Policy and Advocacy, Groundwork Collaborative, said. “Analysts expect that people will wager more than $3.3 billion on games during March Madness.”
Jacquez says the structure of the tournament plays a big role in its popularity among bettors.
“You have weeks of play, and you have dozens of games going on every single day for opportunities for people to bet on,” Jacquez said.
While most people participate without issue, experts warn that the rapid growth of sports betting can come with risks.
“If you’re losing and you’re trying to chase those losses by betting more, that’s a red flag,” Eick said.
Jacquez added that a small portion of users often accounts for the majority of gambling activity.
“We’ve seen that 86% of revenue comes from just 5% of bettors,” Jacquez said.
With betting more accessible through mobile apps, he says it’s important for users to stay in control.
“Never bet anything you can’t afford to lose,” Jacquez said.
State officials also stress the importance of using regulated platforms to ensure safety and accountability.
“The best way for Iowans to protect themselves is to wager with a licensed sportsbook,” Eick said.
As the tournament continues and bets pile up, experts say the key is balancing the excitement of March Madness with responsible gambling habits.
March is also problem gambling awareness month. If you or someone you know needs help, resources are available through the state, click here to learn more.
Beginning July 1, Iowans must verify they are adults to access porn websites.
How online porn is shaping a generation of young men
Early porn exposure among boys is rising. And experts say it leads to lasting struggles with addiction, mental health and relationships.
Iowa will require porn websites to verify users are at least 18 under a new law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The Hawkeye State joins at least 25 other states, including Kansas and Nebraska, in requiring age verification for adult content in an effort to prevent minors from accessing it.
House File 864 is modeled after a Texas age verification law the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in a 6-3 decision in June. The measure will apply to websites or apps if at least one-third of their content is pornographic.
Beginning July 1, the law will require the websites to verify a user’s age using government-issued identification, financial documents or other documents that are “reliable proxies for age.” Age verification may also be performed by third parties or through any “commercially reasonable and reliable method.”
The law states websites and third parties “shall not retain, sell, lease or otherwise disseminate any identifying information of an individual subject to reasonable age verification unless retention or dissemination of the identifying information is required by law or a court order.”
It also requires third parties and websites to use “reasonable methods given the person’s scope of business to secure all data collected and transmitted” during the age verification process.
Under the new law, Iowa’s attorney general can sue companies in violation of the law. Violators could face fines up to $1,000 for each time an individual accesses a site in violation of the law. Civil penalties for providers are capped at $10,000 per day.
Iowa Senate lawmakers unanimously approved the measure while the House advanced it 82-2.
Rapid Response Politics Reporter Maya Marchel Hoff can be reached at mmarchelHoff@usatodayco.com. You can find her on X (formerly Twitter) at @mmarchelhoff.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Iowa’s primary election is Tuesday, and candidates across the state are making their final push to voters.
One of the most closely watched contests is the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. The winner will advance to November’s general election to compete for Senator Joni Ernst’s seat.
Iowa State Senator Zach Wahls and State Representative Josh Turek are competing for the Democratic nomination.
Wahls spent Monday in Des Moines speaking with voters about the issues they want addressed in Washington.
“It’s time for change. We’ve been talking about it from day one. Iowans have been failed by leaders in both parties for far too long,” Wahls said. “In order to get the change that we need, we need a leader and a fighter who’s willing to challenge the broken status quo and clean up the corruption in Washington DC.”
Turek toured the state during the final days of the race. He was in Sioux City Friday and said he will represent working class Iowans if elected.
“I come from a working class family, a working class community, somebody that’s gone through a lot of hardships, a lot of struggle, both on the economic and on the health care side,” Turek said. “I think what’s fundamentally wrong with DC right now is we’ve got enough millionaires up there. I’m the only one in this race that’s not a millionaire.”
For the first time in more than a decade, Iowa will have an open U.S. Senate seat.
While campaigning, candidates have heard concerns ranging from affordability and housing costs to agriculture and water quality.
Polls open Tuesday morning across Iowa.
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Isabella Warren covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email her at isabella.warren@kcrg.com; and follow her on Facebook at Isabella Warren TV on X/Twitter@isabellaw_gray, and on Instagram@IsabellaWarrenTV.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau. All rights reserved.
When to call 911 and when to use non-emergency lines
This video explains the importance of knowing when to call 911 for emergencies and when to use non-emergency lines for less critical situations.
A pair of teenagers recently pleaded guilty to kidnapping and attacking a fellow teen male.
Nailea Leverette and Albert Mlala, both 18, pleaded guilty on May 28 to third-degree kidnapping, willful injury causing serious injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Leverette and Mlala invited a 17-year-old boy to Mlala’s Altoona home on Nov. 2, 2025, where they led him to the basement and confronted him about alleged sexual abuse, according to court filings.
The two then allegedly tortured and beat the boy with a baseball bat and whipped him with a cut vacuum cord for three hours, leaving him with significant injuries, according to criminal complaints.
The boy, who has not been named publicly, said that Mlala displayed a gun at one point. The male was eventually able to make an excuse to leave the basement and the custody of the fellow teens.
Leverette and Mlala, both 17 at the time of the crime, were charged as adults with first-degree kidnapping.
The pair pleaded guilty after initially pleading not guilty.
Mlala was provided with a pretrial release on May 29, according to court filings. Leverette was ordered to be released from custody on Nov. 25, 2025.
Mlala is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31. Leverette will be sentenced on Aug. 7.
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
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