Sports wagering coming to casino

Wild Rose Entertainment secured sports betting licenses last week from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission for all three of its properties, the company announced.

The company is preparing to offer sports betting at its casinos in Jefferson, Emmetsburg and Clinton.

The license approval on July 30 marked one of the major steps needed to offer sports wagering.

Wild Rose has completed renovations and other preparations for sports gaming, and plans to unveil a retail partner soon with a major announcement, the company stated in a news release.

“Our customers have told us repeatedly that they want sports wagering. While this is new to Wild Rose and the state, it’s a natural next step in expanding our entertainment menu,” Tom Timmons, president of Wild Rose, said in a statement. “I’ve been involved in Iowa gaming since 1989, and this is one of the biggest changes in 30 years.”

Nevada casinos previously had a monopoly on sports books wagering, but thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision and a law change, Iowa casinos are days away from accepting bets.

“We are extremely pleased to say that our prospective retail partner is one of the most respected names in sports wagering,” Timmons said. “They want to be in Iowa, and they want to partner with us. Our goal remains to start taking bets in August.”