Poker News

United States of Poker: Iowa

Many casinos across the United States are offering live poker for the first time, or are reopening or expanding long-dormant poker rooms that, ten years ago, once gave way to slot machines. The state of Iowa is an excellent case in point.

Iowa holds a unique distinction among all states that offer gambling. In 1989, it became the first state to authorize riverboat casino gaming on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, and two years later, opened the first U.S. gaming vessel in modern times. There were severe restrictions placed on gamblers, though, which doesn’t sound like much fun by today’s standards - players could only bet $5 maximum, with a maximum loss of $200 per cruise! Many riverboats abandoned Iowa for Mississippi because of this. In 1994, these restrictions were lifted, largely due to competition from casinos in Illinois.

Iowa is also home to three Indian casinos, and all three offer poker. The first gaming compact was signed by the Omaha Tribe in 1998, followed by the Sac and Fox Tribe’s and the Winnebago tribe’s compacts in 2004. These compacts led to the CasinOmaha, the Meskwaki, and the WinnaVegas casinos, respectively.

Harrah’s Council Bluffs opened in 2001. Located in Southwest Iowa, it is home to some of the highest- limit play in all of Iowa. “We offer structured limit Texas Hold’em: $3/$6, $4/$8, $5/$10 and $10/$20 with a half kill,” says Matt Roane, Harrah’s Council Bluffs table games supervisor. “Currently, we have seven tables and will add five or six more by the end of September.” Roane also notes that the neighboring Harrah’s casino, Bluffs Run, soon to be re-branded as Horseshoe Council Bluffs, will have 20 poker tables by the time renovation is complete in the first quarter of 2006. This expansion will make the Horseshoe the largest poker room in Iowa. Both establishments are racetrack casinos.

The Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque opened in 1994 and floats on the mighty Mississippi, bordering the east side of the state. It’s Dubuque’s second riverboat casino after the Casino Belle departed for Missouri in 1993. “At the moment we have two Texas Hold’em tables only,” says John Tharp, director of table games for the Diamond Jo. “It is $4-$8 for now, but I will be adding a kill to it in the near future (September).”

The influence of the media on the poker boom cannot be denied. “Poker has really taken off since the televised tournaments on ESPN,” Roane says. “The World Series of Poker and Internet play have just exploded a new generation of poker players.”

“The poker room has gone over very well, especially on the weekends,” says Tharp. “The waiting list is usually 10 deep on the weekends.”

Harrah’s had a tournament for moneymakers in April 2004 - Chris Moneymaker, to be exact. “We ran a ‘Moneymaker’ tournament that was a huge success,” Roane says. “Nine other players played against Chris Moneymaker, who won the ‘03 WSOP. The winner of that tournament won a free seat to the ‘04 WSOP. Harrah’s Council Bluffs offered seven different satellite WSOP tournaments since last December. All tournaments had a huge turn out and were a great success.”

In August 2004, Marg Helgenberger of the TV show “CSI” and her husband Alan Rosenberg of “The Guardian” hosted a breast cancer fundraiser event that started with a celebrity poker tournament at Harrah’s Council Bluffs. On September 9, the Harrah’s Convention Center will be the site of another celebrity poker tournament sponsored by Jennie Edmundson Hospital. WSOP player Robert Williamson will be one of several celebrities playing in the tournament where the top prize is a seat in the 2006 WSOP.

Both the Harrah’s and Diamond Jo managers believe the future for poker is bright. “I see poker as only getting bigger,” Tharp says. “With the Internet and the increase in new rooms, and existing ones, I think it is here to stay. The exposure it is receiving is incredible and will only grow its popularity.”

“I personally feel televised tournaments are giving birth to thousands of new poker players every day.” says Roane.

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