FanDuel has become the second daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator to launch in Iowa, trailing DraftKings by a month.
After DraftKings set-up shop in October, FanDuel expedited its own schedule to make sure it will start taking ground from its main rival in the United States.
Both companies originally intended to open for business as early as August, 2018, but regulatory reluctancy has left them waiting.
More interestingly still, DraftKings and FanDuel aren’t going to be the only DFS platforms in the state, with Yahoo’s dedicated platform now pending regulatory approval as well.
Meanwhile, FanDuel spokeswoman had this to say on the occasion of the launch:
“We are excited to announce that Iowans can now enter paid fantasy sports contests on FanDuel. Following approval by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, millions of residents in Iowa can now access all that FanDuel fantasy sports has to offer.”
Meanwhile, Iowa started off well and claimed estimated $40 million in total wagers for its first full month of legal sports betting.
This was an improvement on the state’s August 15 – August 31 results, when the state raked in a total of $8.6 million in total sports handle.
Iowa Takes DFS Seriously
Historically, Daily Fantasy Sports have been an alternative to sports betting as a ‘legal’ form of a then unregulated industry.
However, once PASPA was struck down in May 2018, most states have focused on catering to traditional sports.
Yet, Iowa’s residents, lawmakers and businesses have shown equal interest in DFS. Nevertheless, both DraftKings and FanDuel can achieve some decent synergies between converting DFS and regular sports fans.
Lack of Mobile Gaming a Major Issue
One of the biggest assets of both fantasy platforms is their ability to cater to players in any point of the country.
However, in Iowa specifically, mobile solutions have been restricted to physical venues, making it difficult for the companies to drive good results as of the time being.
While too early to tell for FanDuel, DraftKings’ offer hasn’t been ideal.
FanDuel, in the meantime is teamed up with Boyd Gaming and specifically the Diamond Jo casinos in the state.
Despite the challenges occasioned by the current legal environment, both FanDuel and DraftKings know how to run retail sportsbooks and how to drive growth.
Mobile will have to wait for a while, but chances are both companies will benefit once the segment is given an official go ahead.
No Collegiate Sports Betting – For Now
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has only given approval to professional athletic contests, meaning any collegiate fantasy betting is off limits for sportsbooks.
However, this will change on May 1, 2020 and Iowa residents will benefit from the full range of products offered by the sportsbooks.
Meanwhile, FanDuel is already offering customers to download iOS and Android apps, which will help the company start building its database and plan for future promotions.
Sooner or later, Iowa is going to make the next logical step towards mobile betting, even if this means taking some time to prepare first.
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