In preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has updated sports betting rules with clarifications around what wagers will be available with licensed sportsbooks in the state.
According to the update, bettors in Iowa won’t be able to place any wagers on the number of medals a country will win or the medal-count rankings. For example, futures like the USA to win the most medals are banned. Players won’t be able to find totals markets featuring medal counts, such as an over/under on the USA to win 30 gold medals. These restrictions apply to medal counts in individual disciplines as well, so there will be no wagers on total medals collected by a nation in gymnastics or swimming.
Another area of the rules the release clarified concerned athletes younger than 18. Iowa’s ban on betting on young athletes has been reinforced amid recent investigations on college athlete betting in the state.
Betting on individual events will not be permitted unless all participants are older than 18. Additionally, if an athlete younger than 18 has competed in a qualifier or heat for an event, bettors won’t be able to wager on the final of that event, even if the young athlete has been eliminated from contention.
However, betting on team events featuring 18-year-olds is permitted, including partner events such as pairs figure skating. Player props won’t be accepted on these events.
