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(Des Moines, IA) -- Brian Ohorilko of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission says betting on college basketball in March is second only to the Super Bowl in terms of the level of sports wagering. He predicts the handle for the month of March will be around $200 million. Ohorilko notes the handles have actually declined somewhat in Iowa in the last six months. He says that's a reflection of the industry a leveling off and becoming more stable. Sports gambling became legal in Iowa in 2019.
There are 18 online sports books, licensed to business in Iowa. Ohorilko says roughly 7 of those generate most of the sports gambling revenue in the state of Iowa. He says 92% of all sports wagering activity is done online and 18 of Iowa's 19 casinos have retail sports book opportunities, accounting for the remaining 8% of sports gambling revenue.