Sportsbook operator Tipico to expand into Iowa

Global sportsbook operator Tipico will expand into Iowa this year, the company said Monday, through a partnership with Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf and Caesars Entertainment.

The 10-year agreement between Tipico and Caesars Entertainment is effective immediately. Tipico expects to launch its mobile sports-betting app in Iowa in the fourth quarter.

State law requires an operator to have a physical location in Iowa. This agreement allows Tipico to use the Bettendorf casino for that venue.

Tipico, which is based in Malta and also has significant operations in Germany, already has sportsbooks operating in Colorado and New Jersey. Tipico also plans to expand into Indiana.

Adrian Vella, who leads Tipico’s U.S.-based subsidiary, said in a news release the move into Iowa and Indiana “marks an important step as we continue to expand our U.S. footprint.”

“We look forward to establishing our brand presence in the Midwest, and introducing our highly scalable, proprietary multi-state sports betting experience to players in Indiana and Iowa,” Vella said in the release.

In July, Tipico reached an agreement with Gannett, which owns USA Today, the Des Moines Register, Iowa City Press-Citizen and more than 200 other newspapers, to be the exclusive provider of sports-betting odds for any article.

Tipico also will compensate Gannett for customer referrals.

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