IOWA’S NEW BETTING CLAUSE BANS ESPORTS AND CREDIT CARDS

Iowa has recently decided to ban and prohibit betting on Esports and using credit cards as a payment method for sportsbooks. All in the same breath. The state’s sports betting regulations just made it illegal for Iowa sports bettors to include Esports in their fun & games, while also banning their use of credit cards in their wagers.

Here’s the lawmakers’ train of thought for credit cards: while the use of credit cards had not been singled out before (even though Iowa wasn’t accepting them as a form of payment for lottery tickets) the logic behind the new law was strong with this one: bettors using cash will only lose cash to cover their lost wagers. Said Senator Tony Bisignano of Des Moines, “If you want you to lose your paycheck, that’s fine. I don’t know how long you get away with that from your family, but with a credit card, you can run a debt that can’t possibly be paid and so I thank the body for clarifying that.”

Now here comes the weird flex on Esports: they rejected betting on Esports yet approved wagering on Fantasy Sports. Why? Esports has been spiking through the pandemic due to suspension of major league games, but there is a reason for the rejection: even though Fantasy Sports and Esports are in the same realm, Iowa considers them different since in their lawbook, Esports does not meet the definition of authorized sporting events. Yup, that’s it. Deal with it. 

How do YOU feel about Iowa’s esports ban? Keep up with all the latest esports shenanigans by reading eFCKNsports’ regular content. Who Knows! You might learn a thing or two about esports betting. See Ya!