Iowa's state-licensed casinos brought in $132.63 million in adjusted gross revenue for October 2026, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission reported. That marks a 6.15% drop from the same month a year earlier.

Even so, the state's gaming tax haul from those casinos climbed 2.47% to $27.2 million. Add sports wagering and Iowa took in $29.10 million in taxes for the month.

The Commission releases these property-by-property figures every month.

Why The Headline Fell

Starting in July 2026, the Commission stopped counting promotional play in casino revenue — both for monthly reports and fiscal-year totals.

The shift completes a phase-out of taxing promotional play that lawmakers set in motion with SF619 back in fiscal 2022.

Administrator Tina Eick said: "The numbers continue to show a stable casino industry in the state. Despite a decline in adjusted gross revenue likely due to the change in taxation on promotional play, tax revenue to the state is up, indicating Iowa's casinos as a whole are off to a good start for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2027."

September told a similar story: casinos reported $128.2 million, down 2.63%.

Where The Money Was Made

Slots accounted for $118.98 million of October's total. The state's 13,675 machines held 8.91%. Table games added $13.65 million from 413 tables, at a 21.31% hold.

Admissions reached 1,318,758, and win per visit averaged $101, per the Commission's October gaming revenue report.

Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino topped all 19 properties at $19.76 million. Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs followed at $13.83 million, then Ameristar II at $10.34 million.

Two more cleared the $9 million mark: Riverside Casino and Golf Resort at $9.40 million and Diamond Jo Worth at $9.24 million.

Prairie Meadows also led on average daily win per slot machine, at $456. Horseshoe Council Bluffs came in at $327 and Hard Rock Casino at $323.

The Mid-Sized Properties

Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo posted $7.91 million, Rhythm City Casino $7.64 million, Grand Falls Casino Resort $7.49 million and Hard Rock Casino $7.43 million.

Diamond Jo Dubuque took $6.57 million, and Isle of Capri Bettendorf $6.21 million.

At the bottom of the table: Bally's Marquette at $2.49 million, Wild Rose Emmetsburg at $2.43 million, Wild Rose Clinton at $2.56 million and Wild Rose Jefferson at $2.77 million. Great River Casino Resort reported $3.25 million.

Statewide, slot drop hit $951.9 million on $1.34 billion of coin-in. Table drop was $64.1 million.

Sports Betting In October

Sports wagering produced $28.18 million in revenue on a $314.50 million handle, generating $1.90 million in state sports wagering taxes.

Ten state-licensed operators currently take online sports bets in Iowa, according to the Commission.

What To Watch

The promotional play change landed in July, so year-over-year comparisons will keep looking off until the new basis has run a full 12 months.

Until then, tax receipts are the cleaner gauge — and they have risen in recent months.

The Commission posts monthly property-level data on its website. Iowans who need support can call 1-800-BETS-OFF or visit yourlifeiowa.org.

Details of the statewide self-exclusion program are available on the regulator's site.

Refer to Cashback Terms & Conditions for full program terms.

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Source: gambling.com